Read Me
by zaki-kun
Summary: There was a ruckus at Fuuka Academy. A mere announcement had turned the whole school into an author-war. With the announcement ending with someone saying "May the odds be ever in their favor." The author war has started. The prize? Club fund and a chance to date either the Fuuka S.C president or Vice president. So, are you willing to submit an entry?
1. I: Announcement

**READ ME**

There was a ruckus. The whole student body of Fuuka Academy was in a state of frenzy. Earlier of the day, the Student Council secretary announced that there is a remaining fund that can be allocated to the school club but only to one club. However, the process of choosing what club would get the fund is the reason for the academy riot.

_"Suggestions and ideas have been considered and above all, we finally found the way to allocate the fund to a club"_ there was a brief silence in the speakers and then the loud feedback caused the students to whine. But what comes after next made them plug their ears with anything they can find to use as a sort of noise canceller.

_'THE CHALLENGE WILL BE FANFICTION CONTEST FOR THE BUBUZUKE! TO THOSE WHO WOULD SLACK OFF WHILE YOUR CLUB MEMBERS ARE DOING THE WORK, WINNING ENTRY WILL HAVE THEIR CLUB FUNDED AND HAVE A DATE WITH THE BUBUZUE OR KANZAKI. INFORMATION ON THIS IS POSTED AT THE INFROMATION BOARD! THAT IS ALL!'_ The speaker boomed.

Then a soft chuckle was heard from the speaker background, they all heard a male voice saying "_May the odds be ever in their favor. Isn't that right Haruka? Kufu."_

And by the end of the day, the student council room was now flooded with submission envelops and flocking people that Haruka, the Executive Director of the Suzushiro Executive Team (SET), had to use her own academy force to shoo the flocking fans of both Shizuru Fujino and Reito Kanzaki. The president and vice president of the student council.

Twitch.

Low sounded sip.

Twitch.

Another low sounded sip.

Twitch.

Rustling of the tugging sleeve.

Twitch.

Haruka's brow twitched in annoyance for the past three minutes as the woman sitting behind the two towering pile of brown envelops acted as a pillar for her ignored her initial question and calmly drinks her tea. Beside the woman who was drinking tea, is the raven haired vice-president of the student council, drinking the said beverage with a smile on his face. How she hated how the two just sit in their seats and drink tea like there was nothing to worry about. Yukino, the secretary of the Fuuka student council, tugged the blonde half-Japanese's sleeves again and looked up to the blonde with a worried look on her face. "Don't give me that look Yukino. That damn Bubuzuke is lazing around as always." Haruka told her childhood friend. "Bubuzuke! Start reading those so that we can decide already! The deadline is the end of the week."

The woman that Haruka called as Bubuzuke (tea with rice) placed her tea cup at the table and beamed one of her façade smile. The mountain of brown envelops around her table shook a bit from the movement in the table, but it was not enough to topple the towering envelops. "I am sorry for not starting Haruka. I was merely calculating on how many I would read before the said deadlines while still attend my classes." Shizuru sighed and leaned back to her chair. "In all honesty, this would be bothersome. Kindly remind me again why I signed this up for approval?" she asks, skimming her slender finger over the pile of envelopes.

Reito merely chuckled. "You were watching the soccer team outside the window at that time Shi-chan. Again I might add. And when Haruka asked for your answer about this, you said yes." It was a sight to see when Haruka announced at the whole student body about the fund allocation, Shizuru visibly paled at how she was being the bait among the hungry sharks. "It's like Hunger Games." He laughed when he commented the famous line of the said book and to add up that his ending quote was unfortunately heard by the whole student body. After chuckling a few more times, he looked up to Haruka with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Anyway, since I am part of this, I believe we should divide these up and start working, alright?"

"If we must." Shizuru then smiled at Haruka with a devious plan. "But I wonder if my decision is enough to please everyone here. Am I right Rei-kun?" she said in a fake distressed tone.

Haruka's ears perked up upon hearing Shizuru's distraught tone when she spoke. A grin plastered on her face and she took one of the envelop pillars. "You are one lazy tea-drinking Kyoto rice cake. I'll take these and asses them. Come Yukino, these two are borons." She announced and paced out of the council room with Yukino following her. "Haruka-chan! It's Moron. Mou! Wait for me!"

When the two left Shizuru and Reito, peace was finally welcomed inside the student council office. Reito took this opportunity to pour another cup of green tea and offered it to Shizuru who was now skimming through the fiction entries. He took it as a hilarious scenario when Haruka gave the idea about the fanfiction. It was derived from the fact that there were love letters being left at the student council office and Haruka wanted to torment Shizuru. Shizuru was too occupied in watching the soccer club practice to even listen at Haruka. _'Ah yes, the soccer club. The main reason why the fund was put up as a prize.'_

When they were discussing on the new fund, Shizuru suggested it to be given to the soccer club since the Fuuka soccer team, HiME Rangers, did win second place at the regional championships. But Haruka protested that it would be unfair since there were other clubs who excelled as well. And thus the contest arrived.

Both silently read the stories, small chuckles at how exaggerated the writers wrote about their fantasy on the both of them, some eye twitching at how graphic it could be to the point of the two blushing at how they can imagine what was written in the story.

"I wonder how much fantasy our fans have been thinking." Reito commented while holding his laughter. He was reading a fiction where he was baiting the vice president of the Kendo club, Yuuichi Tate, into a one night stand. "I am amazed that people think I'm gay." He flashed a toothy smile over the brunette who was also holding her own laughter.

"It seems that your handsomeness has been perceived by many as something of a gay feature." Shizuru teased. "I have heard some women saying that they can never be too sure right now about a person's preference, especially if they are too handsome." she explained. She went and grabbed another envelope to read the next wild fantasy that hers or Reito's fans have created.

The grin on Reito's face suddenly widen after hearing Shizuru's explanation. "Indeed. I do know a certain Kyoto-born beauty that never swayed over the wooing attempts of men. Especially from me."

"Fufu, I wonder who could that be." Shizuru replied, faking her accent into a more western type. "In my defense, none have asked on what my preference is. They offered their assistance and kindness, I reciprocate it with gratitude. If they have asked, I would've told them long before."

"So I have seen." Said Reito and proceed to read the story in his hand. At the back of his mind, he knew why his childhood friend was never attracted to anyone and it has something to do with the current striker of the Fuuka Academy soccer team.

Their solemn silence was then interrupted by the sound of shattering glass at the end of the room and a bouncing ball moving around the corner of the room. Both Reito and Shizuru looked at the object with much surprise.

"Dammit spider! Aim a little better!" someone yelled from outside the student council room.

"Yeah! Yeah! Just get that ball before someone else sees it!" another voice yelled back.

Shizuru blinked a few times when she saw a woman, dressed in white shirt with blue cross printed on the front and a number 13 at the back, a black arm warmer on her left arm, white shorts with blue linings at the sides, knee high socks and a pair of white with gash-like print cleats, sneaking in the room from the broken window. Shizuru tensed up when she saw the blue colored hair of the woman.

"Stupid spider… doesn't know how to kick." the woman with blue colored hair grumbled as she sneaked her way towards the corner of the room to fetch the ball. Reito and Shizuru just watched how the blunette took the ball without even noticing them inside the room. "Good, now all I have to do is-" the blunette spun around and froze on the spot when she saw two students at the other end of the room.

"Ara. Hello." Shizuru greeted the blunette that has a baffled expression on her face.

The blunette held the ball tighter and bolted away. "You didn't see me!" she shouted before skillfully jumping out of the broken window.

"That was, unusual." Reito commented after seeing the blunette jump out of the window. He looked back at his friend who was now standing by the nearest window, looking at the fleeting figure of the blunette. "You know, you could get her name if you just approach her." He told the brunette who sighed when the council intruder was now at the soccer field.

"Knowing her name is an easy task but knowing it from her is not." Red hued eyes looked at the soccer team and saw how the blunette was doing a headlock on a redhaired woman whom she can assume as a soccer team member. "Kuga, Natsuki. First year and the current striker for the Fuuka HiME Rangers. Reported for always skipping classes that relates to math and English, excellent in science classes and physical education. Also, someone who is addicted to mayonnaise."

Reito chuckled and stood up from his seat and approached Shizuru. He placed his hand on top of Shizuru's head and patted it gently. "Ah the wonders of the gossip network and Harada-san's connections." He teased which earned him a slap on his arm. "Just telling the obvious. You're not the only one who uses Harada-san's contacts and information. Anyway, we should finish what we can for today and let's head home." He patted Shizuru's head again and left the brunette to muse on her own.

Another sigh escaped Shizuru's lips and look one last look on the blunette named Natsuki Kuga. The blunette was lying on the grass with the red haired soccer player was sitting on her abdomen while doing some situps. From her view, she can tell that Natsuki was smiling at the redhead. _'Maybe she's her special someone.'_ Another sigh and she left and went back to reading the fictions sent to them.

The next day, Shizuru was surprised when she stepped into the council room. Before she even stepped inside, her mind was debating on how she can approach the famous ice princess, knowing there would be fans flocking her everywhere and the entries needed to be evaluated. And as if the goddess of love herself woven the strings of fate, she is now standing before a tied up in a chair Natsuki Kuga, dressed in her uniform and a black arm warmer on her left arm, with a deep scowl on her face.

Flashes of things Shizuru can do to the blunette keep popping up within the brunette's mind. It didn't help at how much smut fanfics she had read from the entries her schoolmates passed to them. Some of the graphic ones crept back into her memory and the actors playing on her head are Natsuki and her.

"You're rate bubuzuke!" the booming voice of Haruka filled the room but it was not enough to snap Shizuru out of her mental fantasy. Then there was a meek voice that followed it, telling the blonde that it was 'late' and not rate.

"I think you broke her using your sonic boom of a voice Suzushiro. Her nose is bleeding." Said the blunette in a husky tone.

Everyone in the room, naming Reito, Yukino, Haruka and Natsuki, all turned to Shizuru who has a blank look on her face and a drip of blood trickling down from her right nostril. "Shizuru!" Reito shouted in concern, dashing towards the brunette, with a black handkerchief in hand, and covering the now bleeding nose of his friend. He pinched the soft part of Shizuru's nose and tilted her head forward as an initial treatment to the nosebleed.

Blinking a few times, Shizuru felt her lungs to be running out of oxygen and the source being blocked out. She felt the soft hands of her childhood friend at the back of her head and her sight was set on the floor. "Ara?" she said in a nasal tone. She heard Reito calling for her name in worried tone and Haruka yelling for a stretcher. "Ah! No, I'm fine." She immediately said with a nasal tone.

Haruka stopped her yelling and looked back to Shizuru who was not standing with Reito assisting her. "You sure? If you want I'll carry you bare." Haruka asked with concern etched on her face. Sure she proclaimed rivalry over the brunette, but this time, she'll let her rivalry aside.

Shizuru was about to answer and Yukino to again correct Haruka's words, their tied up guest cleared her throat and made everyone look at her. "Finally you noticed the abducted human. As much as I would be laughing my ass off if Suzushiro here did carry that woman, bare and all, Yukino will you PLEASE let me go? I already agreed to pay for the broken window and you know how Nao would be angry at me if I don't come to class." Natsuki told the meek secretary. "We have science next! Science!"

Yukino looked up to Haruka who was about to yell at Natsuki. "Haruka-chan, since Shizuru-san is here now, shall we continue the conversation regarding Natsuki-san's punishment? Natsuki-san does need to attend her class." she asked the blonde.

Haruka approached Natsuki and began poking the blunette's forehead, bopping Natsuki's head back and forth. "Yukino! Why are you even agreeing to this delinquent? If she's afraid of being late, we can just write a note and have that bubuzuke sign it. My breakfast was digested in an instant when I ran after her!" she turns her attention to Natsuki and glared at her. Yukino fidgeted. She knows the reason why Natsuki shouldn't be late if Nao is in her class and to see Haruka poking Natsuki's forehead was like igniting the fuse of a bomb.

Natsuki growled and tilted her head back a bit. Timing Haruka's offending poking finger, when the said finger was near her face, she moved her head upward and bit Haruka's finger. This made the blonde yelp in pain and pulls her injured away from the smirking blunette. "Why you little-"

Before Haruka could get her hands on the smirking Natsuki, Shizuru stood in the middle and raised both of her hands at chest level, showing surrender. "Ara, ara, Haruka should calm down before we do any further damage, yes?" She said with hope of calming Haruka down.

With Yukino grabbing the blonde's waist and holding her in place, Haruka took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "Fine. Just do what you usually do and we'll be on our way. Reito over there suggested afterschool detention in the student council, cleaning the room after meeting and such until Friday. So we just need your decision in that." She huffed and crossed her arms while positioning herself into a better position with Yukino.

Natsuki growled again and tried her best to get out of her restraints. But due to Haruka's tight knotted roping, all she archived was some minor rope burns. "Argh! I said I can't! Midori would be mad if I don't attend soccer practice!" Natsuki glared at Haruka who has a smug look on her face.

"I can arrange for that." Reito spoke out with a flashy smile. "It is under the student handbook Kuga-san that all violations would be equivalent to detention. Isn't that right Shi-chan" He inquired to the brunette who was still facing Haruka.

There was a low growl from Natsuki after Reito spoke but was completely ignored by everyone. Shizuru merely sighed and began to massage her temples while still facing her back towards Natsuki. "It is as the student handbook says." She mumbled. Her mind imagined all the possible way to talk to the blunette while she was serving her detention in the S.C room but she felt that it would be unfair to sign off the punishment just because of that, and the miniscule reason of breaking a window. But then, it is an opportunity and one of the Fujino family motto is, 'grab every booty you get.' Though she really thinks it's 'opportunity' than booty. With a deep sigh, she faced the glaring blunette, emerald eyes burning of annoyance, and showed her a teasing smile. "We wouldn't be a good student council officers if we don't punish the law-breaking students yes?" she leaned forward to Natsuki who was now blushing at the sudden closeness. "Who knows, you might enjoy MY company." She teased, winking at the blunette as she emphasize the 'my' part.

"W-what about-" Natsuki's stuttering words were stopped by Shizuru's right index finger.

"We can handle Midori-sensei." Shizuru told Natsuki. The touch of Natsuk's lips over her finger was enough to make her inner fan-girl squeal in delight. But with good things comes with responsibilities and she knows she has to retract her finger away to avoid scaring the blunette. "So now, off you go and we'll see you later on." She said and stood straight up and walked towards her table with her heart pounding like crazy.

Natsuki was speechless. Even when she was untied by Yukino via cutting the ropes, since Haruka's knot was so tight nobody can even untie it, she sat on the chair with a surprised look. There was a sound of pen scribbling on a piece of paper for a few seconds until the said paper was thrust towards Natsuki's face by Haruka.

"Here's your pass, you can go." Haruka said to Natsuki. When the blunette, still dazed but clutched the paper in her hands, she picked Natsuki up by her arms and carried her out of the office like a puppy and left her outside before slamming the door shut.

When Natsuki was now out of sight Shizuru gave Haruka a chilling smile when the blonde looked at them with a proud smile. "Mind telling me how Haruka knew of the window accident and how did you catch Kuga-han?" Shizuru inquired, holding a tea cup which nobody dared to ask on where it came from.

"That Kanzaki told me about the broken window, well he told Yukino and for finding her it was pot luck." Yukino then corrected her by saying it was 'pure luck' and not pot luck. "Yeah, that's what I said. Anyway, I saw her changing at the school forest and caught her when she was removing her biker suit." Haruka said proudly.

Shizuru choked on her drink when she heard how Haruka caught Natsuki. A handkerchief was offered to her by Reito which she graciously took and thanked the man as she wiped the tea spill from her lips. A cold aura suddenly filled the room when Shizuru looked up to the blonde with a cold smile. Even before she can speak to Haruka, Yukino already pulled the blonde away, leaving the room.

"My, you frightened poor Yukino with that smile of yours Shi-chan." Reito commented with mirth. It was plainly obvious that Shizuru was pissed when Haruka told them how she saw Natsuki. Such privilege was never given to the brunette ever. "Shi-chan, we all know how Haruka only has eyes for Yukino so will you drop that 'Are you ready to see hell?' smile?"

A sigh once again escaped Shizuru's lips as she leaned back to her chair. "This is getting a bit of trouble for me." She took her cup of tea and slowly drank its contents in hope to be calmed down. Sure she can pull the façade of being calm but when she is faced with Natsuki, her body goes into an inner turmoil.

They sat there for the whole first hour, since they both were excused from their classes due to Student Council work. A few stifle laugh and some grunts at the ridiculous stories they have been reading. After reading the quarter of the growing pile of stories they have, they finally called for a break and proceed to their next class.

* * *

**A/N: **This is the first part of my mini fic that I have been working on for the past month. This will be updated in a 3-day basis, so after 3 days, the new update will appear. constructive criticism and reviews are welcome :) Until then, tune in to the next chapter of Read Me. -Zaki


	2. II: Princess and her Wolf

**PunishmentDay: I**

After class hours, Shizuru was left inside the Student Council room after their meeting, reading the new entries of stories. She mentally cursed Haruka for not giving a limitation of stories to be passed to them, hence the growing pile continues to grow. While Reito already bid his leave, stating that he has to check on his sister's training, Shizuru was again reading the new stories.

**["Please kaichou, I am truly in love with you." But Shizuru shook her head and showed him a smile. "I can't. For I am in love with Kenji. He captured my heart just by his smile."] –Kenji 'KK' Kageyama**

Shizuru cringed and placed the paper back inside the envelope. Another rejected entry. She placed the paper at the pile of rejected pile and she looked beside the said pile that should be the one containing the approved ones which is currently empty. It was the 8th time she read a story for the last hour on how she was in love with a guy. She had to stifle her laughter at the thought of people not knowing she was gay. She took another entry and began to read it.

**[Shizuru sat on the desk of Reito and smiled at him seductively. She reached out to grab on the raven-haired man's collar and pulled him close to her. "You are such a naughty guy, Reito."] -Crystal Justice.**

Shizuru practically shivered when she read another ShizRei fanfiction. It was the fifteenth time for the day that an entry was about her and Reito. "People does fnd me and Reito as a couple. He is handsome yes, but it is like sleeping with my brother." she giggled. "If I have a brother that is." Taking no interest in reading the story further, she placed it back in the envelope and placed it on the 'rejected' bin. Picking up another envelope among the pile, she then heard some soft knocks on the door.

"Hello? Anyone?" the husky voice of Natsuki interrupted Shizuru's work. Shizuru's heart leapt for a second before recomposing herself and letting the blunette in.

Natsuki walked inside the room, dressed in her school uniform, red headphones hanging around her neck and wearing her signature left arm warmers, with a bored look on her face. When she looked around and found only Shizuru alone in the room, her brows furrowed and she stood a few feet away from the brunette. "Sorry for being late, one of my teammates was yelling at me for not attending practice when she caught me going here." She looked at Shizuru who has towering brown envelopes on her side. "Working overtime?" she asks, wondering why the Student council president was still in the council room after school hours.

Shizuru merely pointed the stacks of brown envelope on her table. "Reading these entries. Haruka forgot to add a limitation on the entries and thus we are getting a minimum of two per breaktime." she sighed and massaged her temple. "Are you going to clean up now?"

"Yes. I'll make sure not to bother you." Natsuki said, putting her headphones and plugging it to her black Ipod touch. She picked up the broom by the corner of the room and started bopping her head while cleaning.

Shizuru was a bit disappointed at how Natsuki interacted with her. If it was the other students, other than Natsuki and her circle of friends that is, they were eager to chat with her. But as usual, Natsuki was different. She never took a second glance at her or even ogles at her. Natsuki was someone who piqued her interest and such interest is slowly crawling into a deep affection. A sigh escaped her lips and she picked up one of the envelopes while she can hear the music that Natsuki is listening to while cleaning. The woman didn't notice her headphone volume was high enough for someone else to hear.

In the first line of the paper, the words 'Read Me' were printed at the middle and followed by the story.

**Read Me**

**[Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a princess who was taken by a fierce giant wolf. This princess is known to be the most beautiful of all the women in the kingdom and the dire situation had called upon brave souls to rescue her from the beast. One after another, princes of different neighboring kingdoms tried but failed to rescue the said princess. The wolf howled in victory as each attempt to take the beautiful princess failed.**

**The wolf with emerald eyes gleaming brightly, watches the princess inside the library it graciously presented to her, reading a book while drinking tea. "Are you enjoying what you are reading?" the wolf asked in a gruff tone. Unbeknown to everyone among the surrounding lands, the wolf could speak if it wishes to but it chose to act as a beast as the people had stomped to its forest, carrying an unsheathed sword in hand. **

**The princess, eyes that resembles the color of blood, looked at the wolf with a soft smile. "Yes I do. Your books are new to me, none from what my father's kingdom have." She looked down on a book that showed a picture of a female knight and a dragon, engaged in a battle , and a tower with a silhouette of a person by the window. "But dear wolf, when will you release me? Brave men have come but all cannot even give you much challenge." She asked.**

**The wolf moved towards the rug that is a feet away from the chair that the princess sat on and laid down on it. A lazy grin etched up on its muzzle as it raised its head up a bit to face the princess. "They are not worthy if they cannot even wound me, princess. If those men cannot do such a small, non-trivial task, then they do not deserve you at all."**

**The princess placed the book down by the side table and slowly sat beside the huge wolf. She let her hand glide at the furry back of the wolf, brushing the silk strands of its fur. "But they are all princes that came from wealthy family. It is given that they are no match for you but would it not be fair to give them a small advantage?"**

**But the wolf snorted. "If they cannot even scratch me then they cannot be with you." The wolf closed its eyes and let out a low snort. "Remember princess, wealth is not power nor power is equivalent to wealth. You are here because I saw how you are surrounded by suitors that seek only for beauty or fame. You deserve better. Someone who can see past your infuriating teases and pathetic façade." The wolf's ears twitch a bit when the princess scratched it.**

**"Then who do you think deserve me dear wolf? Who is the prince that deserves my affection and can see what you are seeing?" The princess asked.**

**The wolf merely grunted. "Who knows?"**

**The red-eyed princess leaned down to the warm body of the wolf and snuggled close to its furred body. She felt herself being under the spell of drowsiness and the warm fur added the comfortable feeling into it. With sleep clouding her mind, she nuzzled closer to the neck of the wolf. "I wish that whoever would come, will be as gentle yet strong as you. That whoever will be destined for me, will see what you can see." She mumbled as she slowly drifted to sleep.**

**The wolf looked back to the sleeping figure of the princess and sighed heavily. "Only time will tell princess." The wolf looked back to the side table where the book about a knight and a dragon was placed. "But who knows princess. Humans cannot comprehend what their beliefs do not understand."**

**By the side of the fire-lit room, a clock grimly chimed. The clock indicated the hour of a new day; the fire-lit room illuminated the shadows of the beings inside. As the light slowly dimmed down, the shadow of the once was a beast and a woman now illuminated the shadow of a tall figure with long hair, carrying another person in its arms.**

**Before the fire completely died down, a woman with forest-green colored eyes walked out of the room with the princess snuggled within her arms.**

**"Sometimes, a princess does not need a prince. Sometimes, the princess needs the beast to protect her and give her the love she needs."] **

**– Zertet K.**

Shizuru tilted her head and look at the piece of paper. It ended there. Nothing following it or even printed at the back that says on what happens after it. She looked inside the envelope if there was a leftover paper but there was nothing. "Strange…"

"Excuse me?" Natsuki's voice interrupted Shizuru.

Red eyes look up to curious emeralds that were looking back at her. She noticed that Natsuki was no longer holding a broom and has both of her hands inside her jacket pockets, headphones hanging on her neck and music still playing. "Ara?"

"You were talking. Since we are the only ones here, I thought you were talking to me." Natsuki told her.

"Oh. I was just surprised that this story-" Shizuru pointed the paper in her hand. "Somehow ended in a strange manner. It's not complete? I think." She said, wondering if the story indeed ended there or

Natsuki nodded her head. "Oh-kay? I don't really care about writing a story for that fund thing." she stated in a bored manner.

Shizuru flashed a small smile at Natsuki and questioned if her club submitted an entry.

But Natsuki rolled her eyes. "Who knows? Fund-wise, we are good. But that Suzushiro used live bait so maybe? We have players who are like zombies to you and that Kanzaki." She informed the brunette. She took out her phone and checked for any messages and popoaused a bit to read the message left for her. "Nao..." she whispered and sighed heavily. "Since I'm done Fujino-san, can I go now?" She pointed at the door.

A disappointed smile replaced Shizuru's emotion for a quick millisecond but went back into a facade smile. "Mmmh. Sure, please do be careful." Shizuru told Natsuki and sighed a bit. Reading the stories was taking a lot from her mental health, pushing herself into a mental stress, add up the fact Natsuki was there.

"Aren't you leaving? It's already late y'know." Natsuki asked, eyeing Shizuru curiously.

Shizuru shook her head and showed Natsuki another smile. "I am fine Kuga-han. You can now go." She then had an idea to see Natsuki's cute blush. "Unless Kuga-han plans on doing something to me since we are all alone." She told her, winking at the blunette which caused her to blush and frown at her.

Turning around to hide her blush, Natsuki strides towards the door. "Gah! Whatever! Three more days!" she shouted, leaving Shizuru to her reading.

Shizuru watched the fleeting form of Shizuru and she finally wore down her mask. Since yesterday, she had been reading fifty stories. All have been analyzed but rejected. However, the work of the person named 'Zertet' piqued her curiosity.

Deciding to look into the data of Zertet, she opened up her laptop and searched for the name in the school database. After hitting enter and waiting for .5 seconds, the search engine did not return any result. "A-ara?" she was surprised.

* * *

The next day, lunch hour, Shizuru decided to have her lunch at a fan-free environment. Naming the garden at the back of the school. From the start of the day, her table was filled by envelopes containing entries from different clubmembers. Then there are those fans of hers that flock around her, asking her different questions or asking if she already picked a story.

Carrying her purple themed bento, Shizuru walked along the cobbled pathway to the garden at her peaceful pace. It took her a good ten minutes in reaching the secluded area and when she got there, she heard a few arguing voices from the said spot.

"Dammit Nao! Give it back!" Natsuki's voice echoed throughout the area.

"Ha! As if!" a teasing tone from another woman sounded from the said area.

There was a sound of grass being crunched and a few curses after the shouting. Shizuru decided to peak at the place she planned on having her lunch and when she did, she saw something that broke her heart. The red-haired teammate of Natsuki was lying on the grass while Natsuki sat atop of her stomach and from her view; their faces were so close to each other. There were a few whispers from the two women that Shizuru couldn't hear but their faces never pulled apart. Deciding to walk away, she unluckily stepped on a twig which the two women heard.

"Come out before I launch a ball at you!" Natsuki voiced out in a threatening tone.

Shizuru sucked up a lungful of oxygen and decided to face the blunette. With her usual smiling façade, she stepped away from her spot and was now visible to the two HiME Rangers soccer players. "If you must hurt me, may I have a final kiss from you?" Shizuru teased, earning her a blush from Natsuki and a snicker from the redhead. "Greetings Kuga-han." She greeted in her 'must-please-my-fans' tone of voice.

Natsuki was speechless at how she was greeted by a tease from the student council president. With her face blushing madly and the redhead starting to irritate her from all her snickers, she glared at Shizuru which miserably failed. The redhead snickered when she noticed the said action and mentally commends the brunette council member for not fearing the Kuga-death-glare. "Looks like somebody's immune to your glare mutt. Wow, just wow." She showed a cheshire grin at Natsuki and winked at Shizuru. "Nao, Nao Yuuki-Kuga. A pleasure to finally meet the famous Shizuru Fujino. Well, meet-meet that is. You don't know how much your popularity precedes you even in the locker room of the HiME Rangers." Nao said, introducing herself in a way that Shizuru was not ready to hear.

"NAO! She doesn't need to know about your last name!" Natsuki shouted, clamping her hand over the redhead's mouth. It was visible from Nao's brows that she was having fun in what she said since the said slender line of eyebrows was raised up in amusement.

The brunette heard how the woman named Nao said her name with such familiarity and Natsuki not denying anything. Being the mistress of façade, she once again faked her expression by a smile. "Ara? My, I never knew Kuga-han likes it fast. Fufufu. It's nice to meet you Yuuki-han." She teased, making the blunette blush. Seeing how the two are close and Nao practically looping in Natsuki's last name to hers, is too much for her emotions to handle. She raised her wrist and looked down on her gold-plated watch; she faked a surprised expression when she noticed the time. "Oh! I must be going now. Rei-kun had said he wanted to eat with me during lunch." She looked back to the two women with matching green eyes. "I must bid my leave no Yuuki-han, Kuga-han. Please don't forget the afterhours' agenda Kuga-han." She bowed her head a bit and left the two in a hurry, hiding her pained look from them. _'I never knew…'_

"What? No, you-ah! Fujino-san! Ahh! Stupid Spider!" Natsuki's voice sounded throughout the garden but Shizuru did not take the chance to stop and listen to the blunette.

* * *

A/N: So third day! I think.. Really I have lost count since my head's been all about work. So how's the first entry so far? As I have said in the Mai Hime group in FB, "'remember your fairy tales". The fairy tale reference here is fairly easy, can you guess? :) So Next chapter will me on the 10th so tune in for that ok? :) Each chapter will contain one mini fic that my coffee-work-nosleep induced mind could think of. As I said to my girlfriend, I have a twisted mind XD soo til' then, give me your reviews, criticism, rants, whatever :P Me ish waitin!


	3. III: Beauty of a flower

**A/N: Okay, I updated a day early than what I have told you guys. Reason? Coz I got encouraging reviews. :) I want to thank RTV for it really, that was some encouragement!  
**

** Thunderwrath: Thanks. I had the character of Shizuru be more human than what we are used to see. :) thank you.**

** thundergodess13: I'm not good at grammar really. Its hard to learn :( but I hope my bad grammar didn't ruin the story.**

** Ian.23: Hi! it's been a while since I saw you review my stories. thank you and hope you like this.**

** chum-sa : Who knows? XD only my updates will tell.**

**Anyway, Thank you to those who took time to review it. Disclaimer on the music used here too. I am a huge fan of the music :p**

* * *

**Punishment Day: II**

"So you're telling me that Nao Yuuki and Natsuki Kuga is a couple?" Reito asked in disbelief. He and Shizuru are on their way to their last class, to which both of them are classmates, and were discussing on what Shizuru encountered during lunch. If not for her childhood friend being sad, he would've been teasing the brunette for her karma on the person she dared to like. His friend slowly nodded her head as she clutched her notebook close to her chest. "Strange, Harada-san clearly said Kuga-san is single." He took a sideway glance at his friend and was in time to pull his friend away from the opened locker door she was about to hit her face into. "Whoa! You ok Shi-chan?" he asked after pulling the brunette and encasing her in a protective hug.

Some bystanders saw the said gestures and squealed in delight at how the two looked perfect with each other. There are students who find the ShizRei as a supported pair while some just find it how beautiful their kaichou is or how dashing Reito can be.

Shizuru shook her head a bit and looked up to her friend who has a worried look on his face. A weak smile was shown to Reito and she gently pushed herself away from him. "Ookini Rei-kun. I am fine, just in deep thought." She sighed a bit and looked around her to see the combined fans ogling at them. "Please carry on." She flashed them a smile which earned her another set of squeals and love induced-zombie like obedience.

With some student still standing by the hallway and adoring the two student council members, they suddenly parted away like the red sea and adoring squeals or worships over Shizuru and Reito was replaced by an eerie silence.

Walking along the spacious middle of the hallway are the club presidents of the 3 well-known clubs in Fuuka and their friends. The president of the culinary club, Mai Tokiha with the fastest runner in the track team, Mikoto Minagi which is also Reito's half-sister. The president and vice president of the newspaper club, Chie Harada and Aoi Senou. And lastly, the current team captain of the Fuuka HiME Rangers soccer club, Nao Yuuki and the striker Natsuki Kuga.

"I don't understand this at all Nat-kun. You broke the window of the student council? That's probably the stupidest thing you have done this week." The carrot-colored hair with busty chest spoke out, not minding the fact that the students spread out of their way like they are royalty.

The blunette frowned and crossed her arms. "It's the spider's fault Mai, not me. She kicked it way too hard for me to even do a connecting strike on it. Not to mention the goal was the other way around." Natsuki spoke out and glared at Nao. The lime-eyed redhead merely grinned at her. "Damn you Nao. Because of your stupid kick, I'm cleaning the student council room!" Nao merely laughed and jumped up a bit when Natsuki tried to kick her ankles.

"Look who's talking. It's so your fault for not catching it, former go-" Nao stopped whatever she was saying when she looked down on Natsuki's left arm.

"Try and end that sentence and I'll make sure you sleep on the couch tonight." Natsuki warned theredhead who scoffed off the threat.

The woman called Chie chuckled at how the two members of the soccer club are arguing yet again. With Aoi wrapped around her left arm, she grinned at her blunette friend."Sheesh, just let it go Natsuki. Be thankful you are just cleaning the council room. The other guy who pissed Suzushiro off was sentenced to clean the boys' toilet for a month and he just spraypainted a picture of Suzushiro as a lion and Yukino as a mouse. Yours is heaven to the fans of the kaichou and fuukukaichou." She explained.

Natsuki grumbled and stomped ahead of her companions who were laughing. There were some murmurs and students swooning around her as she strides along the hallway without caring about her admirers.

Shizuru watched how Natsuki was being adored my some of her fans. How they eyed Natsuki like some fragile doll. Unreachable. Untouchable. Her hand unconsciously reached out to the blunette who walked past her, not noticing her yet again, and held on the hem of her vest. It was like a moth to a frozen flame. Unconscious strength was used with the hold and caused for the blunette to halt in her raged steps and topple backwards.

Agility and reflex. Natsuki was indeed known by her admirers and teammates by the two factors that earned her the position as striker. When somebody pulled the back of her vest, she instinctively let go of her things that scattered to the ground and grabbed the offending limb from behind. At the same time, she spun around and held the other limb of the person who dared pull her and locked the wrists down on that person's side in an 'X' position. Emerald eyes showing burning rage as it gazed on the offender's crimson orbs.

Shizuru felt like she was tangled in a whirlwind. When she realized that she reached out and grabbed Natsuki's vest, she was now locked in a tight wrist grip by the blunette and only half a meter apart from each other. She gazed at the steel look on Natsuki's face as her brows twitched a bit at how her wrist was being held. Both of them stared at each other, toning out from reality that is fans gasping in shock, Natsuki's buddies merely grinning and Reito stood silently and watching in amusement. Taking advantage of the situation, she just smiled at the annoyed looking Natsuki. "Oh my. I never knew Kuga-han likes it rough and exposed. Fufufu, I wouldn't mind if it's Kuga-han though." She teased.

Blink. Natsuki just blinked a few times; unable to comprehend why the brunette was not cowering in fear from her glare. "What?" she asked, stumped at what just happened.

The baffled expression made Shizuru mentally squealed. Seeing Natsuki's puppy-like confused expression just gave her the urge to just hug the blunette like a stuff toy. But the audible squeals from the bystanders who were watching them like a noon-time soap opera snapped her out of her fantasy.

"Look how cute Kuga-san looks like!" one girl squealed.

"If she could only look here and notice me." Another random girl said with a dreamy sigh.

One of Natsuki's friends, Chie, laughed at how the female students were fawning over their friend. "Man that Natsuki sure can attract her fans." She said, taking a picture of Natsuki's current predicament. It was a rare to see Natsuki's glare not even working at someone. There were only 2 people in the world that's immune to the glare and both of them are not even attending their school.

"And you must take consideration that Fujino-kaichou can hold her ground with the mutt's glare." Nao commented, ignoring the squeals of Natsuki's fans while she was filing her nails. By the corner of her eye, she can see the blunette still holding the student council president in a cross-arms lock. "Hey mutt! If you want to take Fujino as hostage, can you do it after classes? You know, while you two are in the student council room." She grinned.

The taunt from Nao snapped Natsuki out of her trance and looked around her surroundings. Female students are giving her either a dreamy look or a jealous one while the male students are either giving her perverted looks or lustful ones. The latter group made her shiver. Remembering that SHizuru was still trapped within her hold, she quickly released the tawny-haired council president's arms and jumped back in panic. "Uh! I'm sorry!" she quickly apologized and crouched down to pick up her things and Shizuru's as well.

Shizuru could only blink in surprise at how fast Natsuki moved. A second ago she was trapped by Natsuki's hold on her wrist and now the blunette was standing in fornt of her, handing the things she dropped. Quickly recovering from her shocked state, she beamed a simple smile at Natsuki. "It's fine really Kuga-han. I am the one who must apologize for trying to grab your shirt. I merely lost balance and the only thing I was able to see as something to grab on is your shirt. Kannin na." she bowed her head in apology, hoping her little lie would not be noticed.

Natsuki scratched the back of her head and looked away from Shizuru. "Err yeah. But sorry about your arm. Y'know, holding it tightly." She said shyly.

Shizuru wanted to answer back but the bell for the last subject suddenly rang. The bystanders watching the whole interaction of Natsuki and Shizuru groaned in disappointment.

"It seems our little pow-wow was cut short." Reito said, now standing beside Shizuru with an arm around her shoulder. "I'll be taking Shi-chan now to our classroom. See you later Kuga-san and friends." He flashed a dashing smile over Natsuki and her friends before pulling his dazed friend to their class room.

* * *

Shizuru and Reito were left inside the council room since Haruka had claimed she already finished her share of the mountains of stories the students passed to them. So far, they have a few selected stories that they kept to be the possible winner of the said competition. And among them, Zertet's entry was included.

"I do not see why we need to read them even after classes Shi-chan." Reito spoke out loud, neatly inserting the story he finished reading back inside envelop and placing it on the rejected bin. He took another envelop from the pile of new entries and began reading the short story.

Shizuru, finishing another rejected entry just sighed heavily. She was getting tired reading the entries and the fact that her long-time crush is possibly in a relationship is putting her in a depressed state. "Just a little more for today. If you want, you can go now and I'll finish this stack before going home." She told her childhood friend.

But Reito shook his head and beamed a smile at Shizuru. "Oh that would be un-gentlemanly of me to do that to you Shi-chan." He told her and reached out to hold Shizuru's left hand. "Besides, I have nothing to do back at the dorm so this kills the boredom for the time being."

Shizuru smiled back and reciprocated the hold on her hand in a friendly affectionate manner. "Ookini Rei-kun. So shall we get back to reading?" she asked, raising a brown envelop with her free hand.

Reito chuckled and placed a kiss on the back of Shizuru's palm that he was holding. "Such dedication." He chuckled, still holding on Shizuru's hand. "I am still in awe how you rejected my love. Your dedication is something I really do admire." He flirted which earned him a playful pinch at his left cheek by the brunette.

But the friendly moments was cut short by the door loudly closing and muffled music echoing within the room. Golden colored eyes and crimson colored ones turned to the source of the noise.

**Prepare for your greatest moments,**

**prepare for your finest hour. **

**The dream that you've always dreamed **

**is suddenly about to flower._ (1)_**

The music coming from Natsuki's earphones filled the room as Shizuru and Reito watched Natsuki bop her head a bit and softly sang along the music.

"We~ Are~ Light-ning!" Natsuki sang out loud.

Recognizing the song, Reito listened in to the music that Natsuki's headphones had been blaring out. He even sang along Natsuki that somehow continue to listen to the music and took out the broom from the cleaning closet while still not noticing their existence within the room.

At the same time, Shizuru watched how Natsuki's face seemed relaxed as she continues to sing and found it amusing how Natsuki was using the broom as a guitar. She wondered how Natsuki view the world around her to be able to be carefree and ignore the fact that there are other people within the room.

"In time your heart will open minds; a story will be told. And victory is in a simple soul!" Natsuki completed the song in a fit of an air guitar solo. Shizuru watched her and chuckled at how the blunette was indulged in her small one-girl concert.

"Fufufu."

Natsuki immediately stopped when the song died down and heard the giggle. Stiffly turning around, she once gain found herself in front of Shizuru and Reito. "Err- Hi?" she greeted awkwardly.

"Hello Kuga-han. Fufufu. I never knew you were a great singer." Shizuru said amusingly. She was smiling at Natsuki who was still holding the broom she used as a pretend guitar. "Would you like some tea?" she offered, gesturing her free hand to the small tea pot and a three spare cups.

Natsuki looked at Shizuru and her brows suddenly furrowed. "No thanks. Excuse me, I'll start cleaning now. Don't let me bother you." She turned around and started to clean the floor.

"Ara?" Shizuru cannot believe that again Natsuki ignored her. Looking back at Reito who was grinning, she tilted her head a bit and gave the raven haired vice president a curious look. "Mind telling me why Reito is grinning like a cheshire cat? I find it rather suspicious."

"Oh nothing. By the way Shi-chan, I found another entry for this Zertet person." Reito said and handed an envelope to Shizuru. "I asked around and nobody knew who Zertet is."

Shizuru nodded her head and took out the paper inside the envelope and began to read it.

**Read Me**

**[In a land far away, the daughter of the king was cursed. The daughter, with beauty like the carved statues of exquisite goddesses, was cursed by a witch who rejected a love confession and none can determine how to counter the said curse. The curse that the witch placed upon the princess is that she would charm all the men she encounters but none can even gain her affection. True love. **

**The royal family first thought that they can handle the curse. Seeking suitors that would be worthy of their daughter's hand in marriage. But each and every one failed in any way possible when the princess finally started to fall for her suitors.**

**Romantic strolls along the garden turned to a mad dash back to the castle to avoid being trampled by mad stampeding horses.**

**A simple boat ride along the grandeur lake of the kingdom ended into the princess saving her suitor's life.**

**Even by accepting gifts she adored either turned to ash after being burnt from the nearby torch or broken after falling down to the floor.**

**None among her suitors have stayed with her for more than three days after such events. The people of the kingdom have started to think that the princess' beauty was like of a black widow. They kill their mates after consummating or in the princess' case, driving her suitors away after a few dates. Both the king and queen are starting to lose hope and believe that their daughter was cursed. **

**But the princess never gave up hope. Each misfortune, she covered it with sweet smile and acted like everything will be alright. As such, she developed an imaginary mask of smiles to cover her real emotions. Her sadness. **

**By the 18****th**** birthday of the princess, the royal family decided to hold a masquerade ball in honor of the princess' coming of age. Servants, maids, local folks; everyone are busy preparing for the event. All are excited aside the princess herself.**

**The party was held under the light of a full moon. People rejoiced and celebrated their beloved princess' birthday. Gifts overflowed everywhere; suitors greeted the princess with their dashing smiles and gentleman gestures. With masks covering their faces, everyone enjoyed the festivities.**

**The princess sneaked out of the banquet hall and stayed at one of the balconies which entrance was hidden by a long tapestry. Thinking of taking a break from everything, she leaned by the balcony railings and sighed heavily. Under the moonlit night, the sea that is viewable from where she stands mirrored the white round moon. She gazed at the reflection and found it breathtaking to watch.**

**"The moon's shine isn't bright enough compared to your beauty." **

**The princess was startled by the voice she heard. Thinking fast, she turned around and found nobody around the balcony. Tilting her head a bit, she roamed her sight around a few more seconds before turning back to the railings. But before she did a full 180degree turn, she stopped when she saw a figure atop of the railing. **

**The said figure, sitting atop of the two meter wide rail, has a foot dangling down the edge of the rail and the other propped up that supported the stranger's head. With a single flower in the stranger's right hand and twirling it lazily, the said figure did not look at the princess.**

**"Why aren't you inside your party, princess? The debutant is the most important person in the party." The stranger said out in a suave tone. A cool breeze blew past them and made the stranger's long dark colored hair danced along the passing breeze. With the stranger's empty hand, the now unruly hair was combed back into place. **

**The princess deduced that the stranger is a woman due to the feminine voice. Thinking of her manners, she gracefully curtsied and smiled at the stranger. "A pleasant evening to you fair stranger." She greeted. "I am merely admiring the night surroundings and in need of fresh air. It is a lovely evening." **

**The stranger merely nodded her head and still has her attention towards the ocean. "That it is; though I have found something far more beautiful than this scenery." The stranger pushed herself off the railing and jumped back, landing perfectly in front of the princess.**

**Emerald eyes. The princess was now face to face with the stranger who wore a black mask and green-hued eyes. She was frozen in place when her own crimson colored eyes had set its sights on the emerald ones. It was like the stranger herself ordered her to not even move. **

**"I feel sorry for this flower." The stranger spoke out, looking at the rose. The princess blinked and tilted her head a bit, showing how she was confused by the stranger's words. The stranger smiled at the princess, a small smile. "For a flower's beauty alone is nothing compared to you, dear princess. So-" the stranger gently took the right hand of the princess and place the flower to her open palm. "Please take this flower and make it more beautiful by just being with you." Closing the palm of the princess, the stranger leaned forward and kissed the princess' lips which lasted for a few seconds. **

**The princess was surprised and yet gave in to the few seconds kiss. It felt like her lips touched the most exquisite silk cloth and tasted like a well brewed tea. And the feeling she felt while being kissed by the stranger took her by surprise the most. Her heart was beating like a set of beating drums. She looked back to the stranger who was now standing atop of the railings, smiling dashingly at her. "W-wait!" she voiced out, seeing how the stranger, with a cape flapping along the breeze, was about to jump.**

**"Your visitors are waiting for you princess. It would be polite to give them your presence for tonight." The stranger said. "While I am needed at another place for now."**

**"Wait! Will you at least give me your name?"**

**The stranger grinned and just motioned by wagging an index finger. "My name will be given at another time. I do promise we would be meeting again. By that time, I would reclaim my beautiful ****_flowers_****." The stranger held the hem of the cape and jumped down, leaving the princess at the balcony.**

**Seeing the stranger disappear from the darkness of the forest below the balcony, she felt like her heart somehow empty. Not knowing what she was feeling, she looked down to the rose that was given to her and smelled the sweet scent of it. "Strange, this is a flower called ****_rupunzel,_**** from the forest of woe. Fufufu you amuse me stranger…" she looked at the place where the stranger last stood and smiled when she saw a tied up golden rope by the end of the railings. "Until next we meet then, miss stranger."] –Zertet K.**

Shizuru finished reading and sigh. Sure when she was reading the new story, she couldn't stop from smiling from how the stranger was being romantic. But like the last story, it ended in a way she wanted more. "Ikezu…" she whispered.

"Talking to yourself again?"

Shizuru looked up and found Natsuki sitting on top of her table and leaning down to her with a curious expression. She blushed at how close the blunette was to her and the fact that she was now staring at her emerald eyes.

"Fujino?" Natsuki called out.

Natsuki's voice was enough to make Shizuru feel like she's on cloud nine. Suppressing a squeal and recovering from her blush, she smiled at Natsuki and shook her head. "It seems that Kuga-han have caught me talking out loud again. Fufufu." She said while carefully placed the paper inside the envelope. She gazed up and found that Natsuki was still a few inches away from her. "Though I am happy that Kuga-han is worried about me. Ookini" she smiled at Natsuki that earned her a blush as a reaction.

Natsuki frowned when she realized that the brunette was teasing her and moved away with her back turned at the Kyoto-born student. "You're annoying." She said, pushing herself off the table and dusting off the imaginary dust from her skirt. "Kanzaki-san left already. Since the place is clean, can I go now?"

Shizuru looked around and indeed there is no Reito around. _'Hmm, maybe he left while I was reading. Oh my, Zertet-san's work sure keeps my mind off of things.' _She looked at the envelope that held Zertet's new entry.

"Is it good?" Natsuki asked.

"Ara?"

Slender finger slid from the edge of the table to the envelope that Shizuru's eyes were set on. "You have been reading it with a strange look on your face. Even after Kanzaki was calling you a few times or tapped you, you didn't even flinch." Natsuki said, eyeing the brown envelope that Shizuru's hands instinctively held it down possessively.

Shizuru blinked and looked at Natsuki with a baffled expression. "Ara, ara…I didn't know." She mumbled and looked back at the envelope on the table. Among the thirty seven she read, only Zertet's entry was the one she picked for the day.

"So, is it good?" Natsuki asked again, this time, she was facing Shizuru with an expression that bordered to interest. An expression outside Natsuki's circle of friends could not decipher.

A smile, a true one, formed on Shizuru's lips. "You can say that. There are works that show more passion like kissing scenes or some more R-rated ones-" In an instant, Natsuki blushed. Shizuru could just giggle at how the blunette reacted. "You should see how Haruka deals with the mature rated ones. I believe our paper shredder blades have been replaced for the fifth time this morning."

Natsuki swiftly took the envelope from Shizuru, which the latter whined upon reaction, and peeked inside the envelope. "What makes this one special then?" she asked. She was about to take the paper from the envelope but Shizuru took it from her.

"The story is amusing, so to say. It's like there's something in these stories that draws to me." Shizuru explained, holding the paper close to her.

Natsuki eyed the said envelope silently while Shizuru has a contented smile plastered on her face. Both stayed quiet for a few minutes until the sound of trance-like music starts playing.

**Come at me,**

**And you'll see,**

**I'm more than meets the eye.**

**You think that,**

**You'll break me,**

**You're gonna find in time.**

**You're standing too close to a flame that's burning,**

**Hotter than the sun in the middle of July.**

**Sending out your army but you still can't win,**

**Listen up silly boy cuz I'm gonna tell you why. _(2)_**

Natsuki growled and fished her phone from her pockets and answered the call. "What?! OH! Sorry- I know, I'm sorry! At Mai's? But Spider- Argh!" Natsuki sounded annoyed at how she answered the call and glanced at Shizuru who was now packing up and noticed something from the brunette's wrists. "I understand. I'll be there around that time. I still have unfinished duties at the council. Yeah, bye. Love you too." The last sentence was more of a whisper than how she talked to the other person on the phone.

Hearing Natsuki talking to the phone, Shizuru decided she should get back to her dorm. As she was packing up her things, she accidentally dropped her pen when she heard Natsuki said 'I love you' to the caller. _'Last time I heard her, she calls Yuuki-san as spider. Sigh. She did reason out how Yuuki-han needed her yesterday.'_ She felt sad at the thought of how Natsuki was in a relationship with Nao Yuuki and the fact she won't have the chance to tell the blunette how she feels about her.

"Fujino… Oi tea-girl!" Natsuki shouted.

Shizuru blinked and realized that Natsuki was calling her. "Apologies, I was thinking of something else. Anything I can help Kuga-han with before we head our way?"

Natsuki's brow twitched a few times before she inhaled a lungful of air and audibly exhaled it. "Want to go get ice cream with me?" she said with a blush decorating her cheeks.

The request took Shizuru by surprise. It was the first time someone asked her out for ice cream. It was usually a dinner at some extravagant restaurants or to some well-known places. Even when she was with Reito or Haruka and Yukino, they are hanging out at some extravagant coffee shop. Quickly recovering from her surprised demeanor, she smiled at Natsuki and decided to tease her yet again. "Oh? To what do I owe the pleasure of Kuga-han asking me out for a date? Fufufu." She teased, hoping to see more of the blush on Natsuki's cheek.

Natsuki indeed blushed some more after hearing Shizuru's tease. She frowned and crossed her arms above her chest and huffed loudly. "Gah! This is not a date! Don't tease me woman! Follow me if you want!" she shouted in annoyance. She stomped away towards the door but instantly stopped when her shoes were halfway out. "Will you please go and have ice cream with me?" she asked again, only this time she was facing away from the brunette.

Shizuru giggled and slung her shoulder bag over her right shoulder and walked towards the blunette. Taking advantage of the situation, she looped her arm around Natsuki's right arm. She had to take note that Natsuki's arm was firm like she was working out a lot. Slender and firm. "Fufufu I couldn't say no to that. I would be the luckiest girl in the world right now since Kuga-han invited me out on an ice cream date. Fufufufu." She said, leaning closer to Natsuki. _'I'm sorry Yuuki-han. But until Natsuki says I should leave her alone, I'll take all the opportunities I have.'_ Her smile widen when there was no rejection on her actions aside from the sudden flinch after her courageous actions.

Natsuki eyed the limb that dared to touch her and looked up to the smiling brunette. "Let go." She said, glaring harder at Shizuru. "No." was the simple answer from Shizuru and Natsuki just rolled her eyes and let the brunette clung to her. Adjusting her arm to get the hold comfortable on her, Natsuki lead Shizuru to the small forest of the academy where her bike was hidden.

With no one aside from some of the late club meetings, they made it to the forest without interruption which is mainly Shizuru's fan club. Shrugging off Shizuru's limb from her arm, Natsuki searched inside her bag for her keys.

While Natsuki searched for her keys, Shizuru took the small time to check on the vehicle that Natsuki drives. It was a Ducati, by the signage on the gas tank of the bike. The overall body was colored midnight blue with white tribal writings of 'DURAN' and inner parts were either chrome or gold. She looked at it in awe, thinking how it fit the blunette perfectly.

"Like it? It was a gift from my mom. I named this bad guy as Duran." Natsuki said with a wide smile. Something Shizuru inwardly fawn at.

"I am betting that Kuga-han really loves this machine."

"Ofcourse! This is my baby! Nobody, even that annoying spider, has the right to touch it without my consent. Heck I don't even give her or anyone a ride with this." Natsuki said with a grin etched on her face. Her left hand twirled the keys of her bike and threw a black helmet, Arai Corsair V helmet, to Shizuru who caught it with ease.

The brunette looked at the protective gear and then to Natsuki. "Ara?" she said in a questioning tone. She turned the helmet around, looking at the back, and read the initials N.K on it. "Didn't Kuga-han said and I quote: 'Heck I don't even give her or anyone a ride with this'. So why is Kuga-han giving me her helmet? And Shouldn't you need this more than me?" she inquired, looking at the helmet with curiosity.

Natsuki looked away from Shizuru and used the key of her bike to scratch the side of her chin. "Err, I asked you for ice cream right? I-uh, don't want you to walk there or something. I-its not like your special or something!" she reasoned out. Not even waiting for Shizuru to speak again, she immediately straddled her bike and inserted the key to the ignition. "C'mon! It's just a quick drive." She told the bruntte.

It made Shizuru smile knowing that she would be the first to be riding the said favorite vehicle of the blunette. Putting on the helmet, Shizuru took note how the helmet smelled of something like a minty and refreshing smell. She wondered what shampoo Natsuki used. Sitting at the back area of Natsuki's bike, blunette literally threatened her life if she did not hold on to her waist. She was thankful for the helmet as the close proximity sent her face into a blushing frenzy and her inner self to be fainting at how Natsuki's body felt warm. _'I wonder if she finds me warm as well._' she wondered and just snuggled close to Natsuki's back, savoring the feeling.

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**(1) Music is called 'This Will be the Day'**

**(2) Music is called 'I burn'**

**Both music are from the animated series called RWBY from roosterteeth. I really recommend this. Thumbs up and all that. I am a fan of RWBY especially Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long. RubyXWeiss FTW! ahahaha. So since this is an early update, next one will be on the 12th :).**


	4. IV: Not Date Ice Cream

**A/N: As promised, here's the next chapter of Read Me. Well this chapter is mainly about the ice cream treat of Natsuki to Shizuru. :) hope you guys enjoy.**

** RTV: really, suikoden? Hahaha you, my friend, have great taste in games. I'm a suiko fan. :p And glad the music helped ya.. RWBY musics been playing on my android music player in repeat everyday. :D gimme link to this vid ok? I am a ff fan too. :D**

**To my readers: Thank you for taking time in reading and leaving me a review. I am very flattered you are enjoying this (even if my grammar is lousy).**

**Again thank you and here's the next chappie. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Interlude: **

True to Natsuki's words, the ride was just ten minutes. Counting on the three red traffic lights that Natsuki ignored, it was all traffic-less ride. One that Shizuru was not pleased at.

"Did I scare you?" Natsuki asked after parking beside a convenience store. She dismounted the bike and assisted Shizuru off the huge streetbike. Shizuru took the offered hand and carefully dismounted the bike. She then removed the helmet and shook her head a bit to let her hair fall back into its original style.

By the bystanders' perspective, the two women who got off the bike looked like models for the Ducati bike brand, seeing how beautiful their dismount was, how Natsuki assisted Shizuru in a gentlemanly manner, and the brunette removing her helmet like a shampoo model.

"Oh no, not really. I find the ride as quite exciting. Fufufu. If Kuga-han would agree, she should let me ride her again sometime." She grinned at NAtsuki which the blunette instantly blushed and pinched her nose.

"F-Fujino!" Natsuki shouted, noticing the double meaning in her sentence.

The brunette merely chuckled at how Natsuki reacted to her. It was fun to be with someone, outside her circle of friends, to be treating her like a normal being for once. No 'Fujino-sama' this or 'Fujino-oneesama' that. No fawning over everything she does like some goddess from Asgard, land of the Norse gods. She is a fan of the Norse myths and none among her admirers know it.

"For the love of Freya, stop with the teasing already! Tsk! You-Argh! Just follow me!" Natsuki rambled and strides towards the convenience store, leaving the giggling Shizuru behind.

"You continue to amuse me Kuga, Natsuki." Shizuru whispered in amusement. Hearing Natsuki calling out to one of the Norse goddess just made her like the blunette even more. Chuckling at how Natsuki was making her like the blunette even more, she just followed Natsuki inside the convenience store.

Inside, it was a typical convenience store that Shizuru used to see. Isles of food or other materials, some beverage dispensers and food warmers by the side and a refrigerator for the beverages by the end of the store. She looked around for any sign of the blunette and found her by the ice cream dispenser, holding two cones.

"You seem troubled Kuga-han." Shizuru stated after approaching Natsuki.

The blunette looked at Shizuru and gave her one cone and looked back at the ice cream dispenser. "Can't decide on what to eat." She mumbled and then pointed at the left nozzle. "That's green tea ice cream. You really should try that, knowing how you are a tea-addict." She pointed out and decided to go with the vanilla and green tea mix ice cream.

Shizuru watched how Natsuki skillfully filled her cone and noted how cute she was. The blunette has a childish look on her face with the tip of her tongue poking out at the side of her lips while she watches the ice cream fill her cone. After the blunette filled her cup, it was her turn to get the said ice cream. She had to admit, it would be the first time she will be eating such ice cream from a dispenser since she usually get green tea flavored ice cream from well-known brands such as Häagen-Dazs. She stared at the machine with her cone being held by her right hand. _'Now how to get the ice cream without making a mess?'_ she wondered.

Natsuki licked her ice cream and watched how Shizuru was staring at the machine. Her eyes followed each attempt of the brunette to pull down the level of the machine that would dispense the ice cream and snickered when the said hand was retracted. "You want help in that?" she asks with a grin on her face.

But Shizuru shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she placed the cone under the nozzle and pulled the lever down, letting the green tea ice cream flow to the cone. It made her smile widely as the ice cream filled her cone, like a child having a new toy. When she filled the cone at a reasonable size, she let go of the lever and turned around to show the ice cream to Natsuki. "Look Kuga-han!" She said enthusiastically which earned a thumb up from Natsuki.

Natsuki laughed in amusement how Shizuru resembled a child after getting her ice cream. She gestured for both of them to sit by one of the stools located at the side of the store and continue to eat there. With Shizuru agreeing, both of them are now seated and munching on their snacks. She smiled seeing how happy Shizuru was.

It tasted not like the branded ice cream she usually get but it was delicious. She licked the ice cream and smiled every time since she loved how the mixture of tea and vanilla was perfect to her taste buds. It was bitter-sweet but she loved it. She was lost in the pleasure of having cold tea. A chuckle from the blunette snapped Shizuru from her la-la land with eating the ice cream and it made her blush when she realized that Natsuki saw one of her weakness.

"You really love tea huh Fujino?" Natsuki asked, watching her with a grin plastered on her face. It seems that while Shizuru was savoring her ice cream, Natsuki already finished hers and was watching her eat at a slow pace. Something she found as embarrassing since she didn't know if the blunette found her attraction to anything tea be weird. Shizuru recovered from her embarrassment and smiled back at Natsuki. "Ara, it seems that Kuga-han likes to catch me offguard I see. I have lost count already." She giggled and took a long and savoring lick at the green tea ice cream. She peeked by the corner of her eyes on what would Natsuki react and got a pleasurable response. Natsuki suddenly tensed up and let out a soft gasp and quickly turned her attention to the glass pane. She have to admit, seeing Natsuki blush and flustered is addicting.

"So how is Kuga-han fairing in her punishment? I do hope cleaning the council room is not hard for you." Shizuru asked the blunette who was now indulged in her music and android application.

With the music low enough to hear Shizuru, Natsuki pulled down her headphones and faced the brunette. "It's alright. Chie did say my punishment was not severe compared to the others." She told the brunette.

Shizuru nodded her head. Indeed, the cleaning punishment was not the usual punishment that the council gives. And it is usually Haruka who pass it on, not even relying on her opinion. To why the punishment was cleaning the council room was beyond her knowledge. "I am glad you are not getting overly worked up. And please take my apology for taking you away from your club training." She smiled at Natsuki which the blunette blushed in reaction. A giggle escaped her lips as the blunette was still blushing.

"Err, yeah. About that." Natsuki scratched the left side of her jaw. "Nao kept on nagging how I need training so she makes sure I train at our home." She explained. Her brows twitched a bit as she told Shizuru of her menial task after her punishment.

Shizuru chose to ignore the fact that Natsuki said 'our home' and nodded her head. "I see. Yuuki-han is a great captain for the soccer club." She stated in as a matter of factly manner.

Natsuki leaned back to her seat and smiled a bit. "Yeah. And we have to thank you and director Kazahana for allowing her to advance a grade." She grinned at Shizuru.

The brunette found the smile as charming and giggled, hiding her blush. "It is my pleasure to help the HiME Rangers, Kuga-han." She can see the blunette blush after she spoke and mentally grinned for making the blunette blush again.

"Yeah. I kinda can't work well with others. Nao helps in balancing that." Natsuki looked down on her left arm where the black armwarmer is and placed her right hand over it.

Shizuru turned her sights to the armwarmer and tilted her head. Nobody she asked knew why Natsuki wore the armwarmer. "Kuga-han-"

"I was in an accident during middleschool and they left a mark on my arm." Natsuki said, patting her left arm. She looked up to the brunette. "Thank you again for the arrangement in Nao's transfer. Besides, I can't go back to my old position so-" Natsuki smiled at Shizuru. "Nao does wonders for me and those around me."

SHizuru's smile momentarily twitched but was was enough for Natsuki not to notice. She went back to focusing on her tall ice cream cone and cleared her mind from anything involving Nao Yuuki-Kuga. The music from Natsuki's headphones continue to blare out, not too loud, but enough for Shizuru to hear the lyrics.

**Born with no life... into subjugation**

**Treated like a worthless animal**

**Stripped of all rights**

**Just a lesser being**

**Crushed by cruel ruthless human rule**

Listening to the music, Shizuru found herself tapping her left index finger on the table, matching the beat of the music. Natsuki bopped her head as well while maintaining a serious expression. This was noticed by Shizuru and then she remembered the earlier singing of Reito and Natsuki.

"Say Kuga-han…"

"Hm?"

"May I know what the title of this music is? I have noticed that the singer is the same as the one you were listening before. And Reito seemed to know the songs." Shizuru asked, looking at the smartphone placed on top of the table before them. She took note that Natsuki's phone is black Xperia Z, the same model as hers.

Natsuki looked at the music player on her phone and back at Shizuru. "Oh this song is called 'From Shadows'. Though the one I have isn't the original version. It's not good huh?" Natsuki asked, blushing a bit.

Shizuru shook her head. "Oh! No, no. It's really catchy. Though I prefer the one you have listened yesterday. Who sang this cover then?"

"A local band called Fairytales. They sing at one of the restaurants here."

"I see. I would love to have a chance to hear them in person." Shizuru sighed and turned back to her ice cream. She knew that due to her schedule and status in the academy, she would have a hard time to go to such events.

Natsuki scratched the base of her chin while a blush still decorated her cheeks. "Er, I can take you. If you want that is." She offered, stuttering a bit on her sentence. "B-But it's not a date or anything! I just happen to know the band, 'tis all." She added.

The brunette instantly smiled. Her heart metaphorically did some flips when Natsuki offered to accompany her to watch a local band. She showed Natsuki a soft smile and reached out to hold her hand. "Ookini Kuga-han. If it is not a bother, I would like to take that offer." She squeezed Natsuki's hand which earned her a redder shade of Natsuki's blush.

Natsuki instinctively retracted her hand from Shizuru. "N-no problem. But-uh, it would be this Saturday evening. And uh, you should bring someone along. I can take you there but I have other agenda to do so you need at least to have someone be with you." She explained, hiding her hand under the table.

Shizuru nodded her head and thought of only one person she can bring. "Ofcourse. I am sure that Rei-kun would be happy to accompany me as well." She said, thinking of how Reito would be glad to see such band. There was a sudden jerk of the table that caused Shizuru to topple back. With her right hand holding the ice cream carefully and her lefthand slipping from holding the table, she was pushed back from her seat and falling backward. That is until she felt a soft landing and a loud groan from behind. Slender arms were wound around her waist and her head were in between a set of soft breasts. _'Ara~ If Asgard exists, I now know the feeling of being there.'_

"Sorry! There was-uhm, I felt some bubblegum under the table. Yeah. And kinda icky so I kicked away from the table." Natsuki apologized. She then gently pushed the stool back, with Shizuru still sitting on it, and made sure that there were no injuries on the brunette. "Are you hurt?" she asked in a worried tone, checking for any signs of wounds or bruises on the brunette.

Shizuru was now face to face with Natsuki, emerald eyes were looking back at her crimson orbs like they were reading her soul. This was how she wanted to be with the blunette. Close to her, far closer than the striker's friends. Unable to hold her stare without the threat of blushing, Shizuru shook her head in response. "Nope. I have you to save me, Kuga-han. Ookini." She beamed a grateful smile at the blunette.

Natsuki stood up straight and breathed out audibly. "That is good to know. I don't want to cause anymore injury on you." She glances down on Shizuru's hands. "I'm sorry again for the wrist lock. I was startled and reacted blindly."

Shizuru reached out to cup Natsuki's left cheek and smiled at her. "It's alright Kuga-han. It wasn't painful really." She assured the blunette who was staring at her. "Shall we continue this date of ours? Fufufu." Shizuru just can't stand not teasing the blunette. And a teased blunette is a blushing blunette._'The blush is so addicting to see.'_

"F-Fujino!" Natsuki barked in embarrassment, her face now resembled the color of a full ripe tomato. "This is not a date!"

But Shizuru merely chuckled. "If Kuga-han says so. Fufufu."

Natsuki just crossed her arms and pouted while Shizuru continues to giggle and lick on her ice cream.

With the brunette already halfway done with eating her snack, Natsuki suddenly excused herself before bolting out of the store. Shizuru, curious as ever, stood up as well and followed the blunette who was now with the red-haired Fuuka Soccer team captain, Nao Yuuki and a child with blonde colored hair. The child stood half of Nao's size and smiled happily as Natsuki patted her at the head. The child seemed happy at the gesture that the now crouched down Natsuki was doing to her.

"Suki-nee! Stop!" the child said, laughing at how Natsuki was patting her head.

Natsuki smiled and picked up the child in her arms and turned to Nao. "What are you doing here spider? Didn't I leave a message that I was busy with that council punishment?" she asked the red-haired captain. Nao merely smiled at her like a Cheshire cat, her signature smiles that means she's up to no good, and pointed behind her.

"Council work? Really mutt? Does having a date with the student council president counts as a council work?" Nao asked, smiling at Natsuki in a taunting manner.

Natsuki instantly turned around and saw Shizuru watching them while licking her ice cream. "F-Fujino!" Natsuki shouted in surprise.

Shizuru merely bowed her head a bit and greeted Nao and the child that Natsuki carried. "Hello Yuuki-han and cute child-chan." She smiled at the child who waved at her.

"Hewo pwety wady!" the blonde child greeted with a wide toothy smile, waving back at Shizuru. Her smile showed one of her front teeth missing and it added to her cuteness.

Shizuru giggled and approached the child. "Want some ice cream?" she offered the cold treat. But before the child could respond, Natsuki pulled her away.

The blunette snapped her teeth a few times, imitating a shark before she grinned at the child. "What did mom say Alyssa?" Natsuki asked the child which is named Alyssa. The child giggled at Natsuki's shark imitation and gave her a kiss at the cheek.

"Mama said no sweet 'fowe dindin." Alyssa said in a slight displeased tone despite the earlier giggle.

Natsuki laughed, "It's good that we know. We don't want mom to go angry mama at us, right Nao?" Natsuki grinned mischievously at Nao who instantly paled and nodded her head in haste. "Good. Now, why are you two here then?"

"Nao-Nao said we go to Mai-Mai. We hewp in cook food fow Suki-nee!" Alyssa announced enthusiastically. But Nao scoffed it off and took the child from Natsuki's arms.

"No! We are just going to Mai's place to make sure Natsuki here won't be having TOO MUCH mayonnaise. Mom would flip if she finds out." Nao said with a cringe. She looked up to Shizuru and saw the confused look to her face. "Hey mutt, I think your date is lost in the whole ordeal here." She pointed out.

Natsuki turned back to Shizuru who her brows creased while watching them. "Err, yeah. Uhm, Fujino this is my little sister, Alyssa. Alyssa, that girl over there is Shizuru Fujino." Natsuki said in a bored manner.

Alyssa wriggled away from Nao and the redhead placed her on the ground. When she was able to walk on her own, she approached Shizuru and tugged the hem of her skirt. "pwety wady! Up!" she demanded with her arms raised.

As requested, Shizuru picked up the child and adjusted her hold on her to make the child comfortable. With the perfect position, Alyssa placed both her palms on Shizuru's cheek and stared at her eyes. "Youw eyes awe pwety. They wuk wike Suki-nee's dwawings." She said, staring at Shizuru's crimson colored eyes.

"A-ara?"

Wide in shock, Natsuki hurriedly took Alyssa from Shizuru while Nao laughed loudly.

"Puhahaha! Kid's got you there mutt. Her eyes do look like those drawings, you know, the one inside your room." Nao grinned and wagged her brows. "The sketchbook full."

Natsuki glared at Nao and stomped her way towards her. "Will you just take Alyssa and go to wherever you need to go?" she demanded with a cold glare. She gave Alyssa to Nao who the latter took in gently.

"But what about-"

"Go!"

"But!"

"Nao! If you say one more word, you are sleeping on the couch." Natsuki threatened, glaring at the lime green eyed redhead who glared back at her. She saw how Nao was about to retort something but decided against it.

Nao rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. "Alright, alright! Sheesh!" placing Alyssa down and holding the child's hand, she looked back at Shizuru with a pout. "Say good bye to the pretty lady now 'lyssa. Who knows when your big sis will be bringing her to play with you."

The child waved her free hand and smiled widely. "Bye bye Zuwu! Please visit me, Nao-Nao and Suki-nee!"

Shizuru giggled and nodded her head. "Of course. I'll ask Suki-nee to visit you little Alyssa." She looked back at Natsuki who blushed when she said the nickname the child tagged her as.

"See you later mutt. You know how mom doesn't want us to be late tonight. This is the wedding practice after all." Nao said in a serious tone.

"Yeah! Wedding! Nao-Nao and Suki-nee! Wedding!"

"Yeah yeah. I'll be there. Just make sure we agree that the wedding isn't all lavishing. I hate too many people. And remind mom that I am not wearing a dress!" Weakly waving her hand, Natsuki just shooed the two away. With the two finally out of their sight as they turned around the corner, Natsuki turned back to Shizuru who has a blank look on her face. "Y'okay Fujino?"

Shizuru just put up a façade. "Yes."

"Your ice cream is melting." Natsuki pointed at the melted cold snack, some of the liquid was now staining the brunette's uniform.

"Ara! Indeed it is. Kannin na Kuga-han, I believe it is already late." Shizuru threw the ice cream away and wiped the sticky liquid off her hand. She then bowed her head a bit and smiled at Natsuki. A façade smile. "Thank you for treating me ice cream today Kuga-han. It is a great experience after all." She again bowed her head and went to Natsuki's bike to pick up her bag. Before she left, she stopped and took a deep breath. "Oh and from today, your council punishment is done. You don't need to clean the council room anymore." She said in a cracked tone.

"What the- Oi what are you saying Fujino? Hey!" Natsuki questioned out loud.

Still with her back turned, Shizuru held on her bag tighter and bit on her now quivering lips "I am saying that you no longer need to come after classes to the council room. Excuse me; I need to be back at the dorms." She said as she started to walk away from the blunette, leaving her and ignoring the shout from Natsuki.

_'Marriage?! Really?! Here I thought they were just too romantic. Odin, it hurts._

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**A/N: Ouch! talk about bad luck eh? Just as Shizuru tasted the ice cream, her date is bitter sweet. **

**Oh! reference of the ice cream, its from Family Mart. :D our office building now has it so I am indulging myself with green tea ice cream. If you guys are in Global One, libis or in Eastwood city, libis. text me and we'll have ice cream together! :D Well now me off to sleep! hope to hear from ya guys! **

**Next update: Sept. 15, 2013.**


	5. V: A Mirror

**A/N: Ok! so the fifteenth! As promised, I have updated Read Me. :) And yey today is my monthsary! XD ahem..**

**Thank you guys for leaving a review and reading this. If any of you guys are also a fan of RWBY, again you will notice the song I put here as part of their soundtrack. Kinda like advertising them in a way. Sooooo music aside, anybody knows who Zertet K. is now? ;) And what about the wedding thing? I feel sorry for Shizuru but hey, we all have our sad times right?**

** ian.23: nah its cool. I know how our personal lives are busy nowadays. :) thanks for the review!**

**C'mon, about the ice cream thing.. If you guys are working at nightshifts, i'll be happy to have a few cones with ya. if not.. :( so sad.. **

**Anyway, here's the update. hope you guys enjoy.**

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**Punishment Day: III ?**

"I have told you before Shi-chan, no matter how calm you look; you cannot rein your feelings." Reito said while patting the back of the sobbing Shizuru.

Shizuru had locked herself inside her room, taking absence even for a day from school. After the encounter with Nao yesterday and hearing about the wedding, her world just shattered. When Reito realized this, he dashed towards the dorm that Shizuru was residing and charmed the dorm head to give him a copy of the key to Shizuru's room. When he opened the room, it was the first time he saw his childhood friend in such state.

"I can't help it." Shizuru sobbed and hugged her pillow close to her body. Dressed in a loose pajama, one that she has no idea why she even own one, she hung he head on top of the pillow in distress. "This is the first time I've felt drawn to someone. Rei-kun! She is the first person that did this to me!" Shizuru pointed herself. Her eyes are now puffy from all the crying she did, her hair was disarrayed, and her nose was now red as Rudolph the reindeer's nose.

Reito has to admit, it is the first time Shizuru was in such state. Sure the brunette dated some, in his point of view, douchebag guys, and none of them even made Shizuru jerk up a tear. If not for the fact that her childhood friend was crying, he would commend Natsuki's place in Shizuru's heart. "Shi-chan…" he watched his friend sobbed some more, broken from knowing that Natsuki is going to be married. He wondered why he was not informed even if his information was straight from his half-sister, Mikoto. He engulfed the brunette in a hug, giving her comfort and lulling her to calm down.

"Is it bad that I was too afraid to confess to her Rei-kun?" Shizuru sobbed some more, clinging to Reito's uniform and leaving creases all over it.

But the man did not mind it at all. He would let the brunette to tear it apart, as long as she would feel better in the end. No clothes can compare how much she values his childhood friend.

They stayed there for another hour, Reito now wearing a black wife beater due to his uniform shirt indeed got ripped apart by Shizuru. It was one of the secret Shizuru facts that the usual calm and collected brunette is skilled in the art of naginatajutsu, hence her strength is not to belittle with. With the brunette finally calm and sleeping, Reito went to the connecting kitchen that Shizuru's dorm room have and started to prepare tea.

While waiting for the hot water to be boiled at the right temperature, there was a knock on the door. Being the only one awake at the dorm room, Reito lowered the heat of the stove and went to check on who was at the door. Peeking at the peephole, Reito was surprised to see a familiar blue-hued hair student. He looked back at the bed where Shizuru slept with a frown on her face; he sighed and gently opened the door for the blunette. "Hello there Kuga-san. How can I help you?" he asked, showing a toothy smile. He noted that Natsuki was carrying a bundle of brown envelopes and a small bento box.

At first, there was a worried look on Natsuki's face. When the person who opened the door was not Shizuru but a man wearing just a wifebeater and his uniform slacks, her facial expression turned into a stoic Kuga expression. She gripped what she was holding tighter and held back the urge to walk away.

"Suzushiro ordered me to bring this to Fujino." Natsuki said coldly, showing the bundled envelopes to Reito. She tried to peek behind the tall man to get a glimpse of Shizuru, but was in vain as Reito blocked the view of the room inside.

Reito took the envelopes and thanked the blunette for her hardwork. He was about to ask Natsuki to leave but Natsuki cut him off.

"Is she sick?" Natsuki asked, looking down on the carpeted floor.

Reito smiled and shook his head. "Not really. She is just stressed out from all of the council work she's been doing. Thank you for asking though, I would relay it to her later on." He assured the blunette.

Natsuki looked up to Reito and nodded. "I see." She fiddled the knots on the bento box she held and thrusts it towards Reito. "Here! Mai made something for her." She told him and waited for Reito to take the bento as well. When the vice president of the student council took the said bento, Natsuki turned her back at him. "Will you-" she took a deep breath and exhaled. "Will you tell her that she should rest some more? She needs it." She said before sprinting away.

As if Fate didn't let the two meet, as soon as Reito closed the door, it was the same time Shizuru woke up from her slumber. The brunette stretched out her arms and sat up, looking around for any signs of her childhood friend. "Rei-kun?"

Reito was now by the kitchen, preparing some tea for Shizuru. "Kitchen!" he said, informing the brunette his whereabouts.

"I'm smelling tea." Shizuru said in a low and sadden tone. Even after taking a nap, her sadness and broken heart was not mended.

Reito approached Shizuru carrying a tray with a small pot, two cups, a plate of green colored mochi and a bundle of brown envelope. He balanced it with eased and placed the tray on top of the side table. "How was your rest?" he asked, pouring a cup of tea to Shizuru's cup.

The tea lover gladly took the cup and thanked her friend. The tea smelled like jasmine, meaning that Reito wanted him to rest some more. "It's alright. I heard someone knock on the door."

Reito took a sip from his own cup and placed it down to the table. "Haruka sent some work over." He pointed at the small stack of brown envelopes by the side. "I'm not sure if the entries lessened or Haruka just blindly shredded the other entries." He stated, taking an envelope and extracting the paper from it.

Shizuru, feeling depressed, took a cup of the brewed beverage and inhaled the calming scent of it. Even with her favored drink, her heart still ached.

Reito looked at his friend and sighed heavily. Deciding on giving another try to cheer his friend, he took the bundle of envelopes and checks the sender one by one while Shizuru was distracted in cradling her tea cup. After four envelopes and pure luck, he mentally did an arm pump that his guess was correct. Placing the paper back inside, Reito enclosed the envelope and gave it to Shizuru. "Here Shi-chan. Another entry from Zertet." He said, smiling at his friend.

Hearing the very first good news she received for the day, Shizuru instantly placed the cup of tea on the side table and took the envelope from Reito. Thanking her friend, she took the paper inside the brown paper casing and started to read the story that Zertet wrote. Yet before she even starts to read it, she was surprised that the story was not typed written unlike the first two but instead it was hand written.

"Ara…" Shizuru whispered, admiring the elegant penmanship of the author. Tracing her right index finger over the title of the story, she began reading the new story that Zertet personally wrote.

**Read Me**

**[In a land far away, a place that the sun seldom visits lives a princess is loved by everyone. This princess was blessed in many ways. Hair that matches the finest golden honey of the sun kingdom, complexion that is compared to the free falling snow of their country, and unique pair of eyes that resembles the color of blood gem that is the treasure of the earth kingdom. Yet the princess, loved by all, wanted something she can never have. Her parents, the king and queen of the kingdom that is covered in snow and ice, gave her all the jewelries, elegant dresses, gourmet food and drinks, but none of them gave her something that she sees in the people that surrounds her. She wanted freedom and true happiness.**

**On a night of a full moon, the day before her 21****st**** birthday, the princess woke up after hearing the door that leads to her small terrace open. Being taught on self-defense and with courage matching any knights of her kingdom, she stood up and took the nearest material she can use as a weapon. A hairbrush.**

**"Who goes there?! I have a weapon and I know how to use it." The princess demanded, careful not to be put in a disadvantage position.**

**There was a rustle from the curtains. A shadowy figure slowly crept out from the terrace and peeked at the princess. "A tool used to tame the wildness of human hair can't be called as a weapon, princess." The intruder's voice matches of a seducer. Alluring and smooth to the ears. The princess couldn't help but shiver upon hearing the stranger's voice and mistakenly dropped her guard.**

**The princess silently gasped in surprise. Peeking by the red curtain was the most beautiful pair of emerald eyes she has ever seen. They shone brightly when the moonlight coming from the small window of her room touched the intruder's face. She watched how those eyes looked around and finally focused on her and the dark brows furrowed. **

**"Who-"**

**"Found you." The intruder said, cutting the princess' question. Emerald eyes stared at her like they were reading her soul. The princess opened her mouth, attempting to call for the guards but ended in vain.**

**With a swift movement like the wind, the princess found herself back on her bed, laying down on her back, and the intruder pinning her down. Her body felt the weight of her intruder on her abdomen and her arms are raised above her head, pinned by the intruder's hands. She was about to cry for help when a pair of lips covered her own. **

**The princess felt like her lips touched the soft lips of her intruder and tasted a cold yet sweet taste of her lips. It was like placing her lips onto a cold peach. **

**A second passed by and the kiss from the intruder ended. She looked up to her stranger who was giving her a stoic expression. "I mean you no harm. Please do not call for any guards. I cannot guarantee their safety if they do interrupt us." The intruder whispered. **

**Her intruder is a woman. **

**"Who are you?" the princess asked in a low tone, hoping her question will not be stopped by the intruder's lips. Yet her body felt like she wanted the intruder to do it again.**

**"Only a shadow. Do not speak princess; I am only here by some forceful suggestions of my comrades and mirror. If you do scream for help, I am not to blame if I cover your lips with my own again." The intruder spoke out, inches away from the princess' face.**

**"Suggested by a mirror?" the princess asked out loud with a questioning brow raised. **

**The intruder moved up and narrowed her eyes at the princess. "No, a horse." The intruder said sarcastically. **

**But the princess merely raised a brow and the intruder rolled her eyes. "Yes a mirror. As bizarre as it may have sounded, I was told that I would find what I was looking for in this kingdom, this castle. By the mirror." The intruder said in a deadpanned tone. She then paused and looked at the princess' face. "And I believe I have found it. I found you."**

**But the princess was confused. She struggled from the hold of the intruder but was not able to be free from it, yet with the intruder's strength, her struggle was in vain. She sighed and let herself relax under the intruder and put up a courageous face. "It seems I am a bit lost here. You stated you are lead here by a mirror?" the intruder nodded. "By Odin's name, why must I be visited by strange people." She mumbled and sighed a bit. "Will you let us talk in a more comfortable way or do you want us to talk like this and slowly push our luck into something that doesn't-" she grinned mischievously and looked at the lithe body of her intruder that is currently pinning her. "Involve our clothes." She continued.**

**Like a lightning flash, the intruder pushed away and stood defensively by the end of the queen-size bed of the princess. She stood by the shadows, having only her emerald eyes visible. "I was warned how you are a mistress of teases but I have never imagined teasing like that." The intruder audibly clicked her tongue. "And I am surprised you are not disgusted by my announcement and for you to suggest such perverted idea." The intruder asked in disbelief. **

**The princess merely chuckled at the intruder's comment. "You must not be aware but I have been attracting suitors from both genders. And who am I to pass up such opportunity. My dear intruder, you are a bold one and I admire boldness."**

**"That mirror led me to someone more annoying than itself." The intruder said in a tone of annoyance. Shaking her head, the intruder took a deep breath and stepped forward, moonlight coming from the window gave the princess a full body sight of her.**

**Crimson eyes finally got a good view of her intruder. The said intruder has a long midnight hued hair that is tied in a high ponytail; leather-like black shirt fitted her body perfectly, showing her curves, black pants that are paired with black boots. A black coat was overlaid the shirt but the right sleeve reached the intruder's wrists while the left one only reached the elbow. The princess looked at the intruder's left arm and saw a marking or a scar; she couldn't comprehend by the dim light, marked along the wrist up to the elbow. "Who would be disgusted over someone as beautiful as you?" She teased**

**"Psh. Do not believe what your sight can only view." The intruder eyed the princess sternly. "There are those who can easily mask their features to suit the liking of their prey." The intruder covered the left side of her face with her left hand and her right eye suddenly glowed into a lime-like color.**

**Yet the princess did not cower when the intruder showed that she can be a danger. Instead, the princess gasped in awe at how the intruder's eyes changed in color. How the intruder's form somehow differ for a few seconds, how it shimmer for a second before focusing back again. But whatever form she saw, only one word escaped her lips. "Beautiful." She whispered, staring at the intruder's lime-like colored eyes.**

**"The mirror may have been correct on this one." The intruder commented and reached out her left hand to the princess with a serious expression. "Princess of this snow kingdom, I ask this now." The intruder spoke and let out a heavy sigh. "You, fairest of all, I am offering my life for you. Come with me and I'll show you the world, or stay but I will be forced to take you away. Choose well." She announced in a velvety tone.**

**This took the princess by surprise. Sure there are suitors offering her anything that anyone would desire and none of them have offered such a one-sided offer. None would give her any chance of staying at her home. She looked at the emerald eyes of the intruder and saw how those orbs shone in hope and need. **

**"You offer me the world to which you do not own." The princess breathed out. She approached the intruder who has her left hand outstretched to her and took the said offered hand. "Tell me intruder-" she walked closely to the intruder, caressing her hold on the offered hand and sliding her right hand over the tainted forearm, until she was now a mere inch apart from her. "What's outside my kingdom's walls can you offer that none have offered before?" the princess stared at the glimmering eyes of the intruder, flicking from emerald green to yellowish green. "I was offered with treasures but they gave up, I was offered with pure love but broken after, a kingdom but that I already have." She inched closer, keeping a minimal space between them. "What do you offer?"**

**The intruder grinned, showing a set of white teeth. Among those pearly whites showed how the intruder's teeth include two pairs of sharp fangs. Pulling the princess closer that ended both of them in a swift kiss, the princess gasped a bit before returning the intruding gesture. After a full minute, the intruder scooped the princess up in her arms and looked down on the princess she now held like a bride. The next thing the princess knew is she was now being carried away by the intruder, out of the castle walls and to the snowy forest where seven women waited for them.**

**"I would offer you freedom. And you can never turn back now princess." The intruder announced, smiling dashingly at the princess, showing her fangs.] **

**– Zertet K.**

Now Shizuru found herself smiling for the first time of the day. She had taken note that Zertet liked the romance theme with minimal bodily interaction between the main characters. Sure there was a forceful kiss, but it added to the romance in her view. But somehow, she wondered why the stories did not imply an end yet again.

"So did Zertet-san made you fall in love already?" Reito asked with a teasing grin. "The way you are indulged in reading that fiction, I am most certain you are falling in love." He chuckled and placed another envelope down the pile he read.

Shizuru blushed and showed her friend a simple smile. "N-No! Rei-kun! We both know-" she closed her eyes and remembered the blue haired, emerald eyed freshman. She took a mochi and smiled at the taste of it. It was bittersweet. Just like the taste of vanilla and tea.

"She was here you know…" Reito said, looking at the paper he was reading. Shizuru choked a bit on the mocha she was eating and quickly doused it down with tea. "Whoa! Careful there Shi-chan. Those sticky rice cakes can be deadly. Mikoto almost died after eating a plateful." He said, remembering how Mikoto was gobbling down Mai's home cooked mocha and caused them to clog the catgirl's throat. Then he remembered Mai's mochi were never green tea flavored.

"Who was here?" Shizuru asked, clearing her throat.

"Kuga-san of course. It was her who delivered these envelopes and the box of sweets from Tokiha-san. I am surprised she followed Haruka's request to give these to you." He took another treat and bit on a small portion. "She thought you were sick and said that you should rest some more. She looked very worried about you really."

Shizuru blinked. She clearly stated to Natsuki that she is relieved of her council punishment. "A-ara?" without thinking, she moved in an ungraceful manner, and picked up a pair of sweatshirt and jogging pants with the logo of the school and dashed out of the room, leaving Reito in a baffled stated.

* * *

Hurrying back to campus, even ignoring the looks and stare from the students that are on their way home, Shizuru has her focus on going to the student council office. _'Why? Please don't tell me you are there…'_ her mind chanted, hoped that the blunette would not be there but at the same time, her heart wanted her to be there.

Taking a right turn by the end of the locker filled hall, Shizuru now stood before the council room, the council room that is currently blaring out some sort of instrumental-type of music. The type that Natsuki would be listening to.

**Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest.**

**White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test.**

**Black the beast descends from shadows.**

**Yellow beauty burns gold.**

She breathed heavily. Sweat beads ran down from her temples and she shakily held the door knob and opened the door.

_'Natsuki!'_

* * *

She was expecting the blunette, waiting or cleaning the council room. The HiME Rangers striker with her cute frown and blush or adorable glare; waiting for her. She was expecting Natsuki Kuga to be yelling at her, telling her she was late or telling her she was leaving.

"Where the hell were you mutt?! Mai said you-eh?! Fujino? Where's Natsuki?"

Shizuru felt her heart fell when her expected blunette turned out to be the redhead that is the cause of her recent heartaches.

Nao was craning her head to see if Natsuki was being blocked by the disarrayed looking Fuuka student council president when she opened the council door. Her red hued brows were knitted and her lime green eyes were gleaming in annoyance. "Speak Fujino! Where's the mutt that you have kidnap from us?"

"Ara, Yuuki-han?" Shizuru sounded surprised upon seeing Nao instead of Natsuki. "What are you doing here?"

Nao paused the music from her Iphone 5 and crossed her arms. "I came to fetch that stupid mutt after Mai tweeted to me that she saw her baking something after she cleaned your office." She visibly shivered. "Now tell me, what did she bake and are you poisoned?" she eyed Shizuru, examining any discoloration from her or signs of poison. "If she did poison you, the KY clinic will not be held responsible, though we can give you a discount."

Shizuru shook her head and sat by one of the chairs aligned next to the table. Reito's chair. Her breathing slowly calmed down, she faced the red-haired student with her usual façade. "I assure you I am fine Yuuki-han and I am quite pleased with the green tea flavored mocha that Kuga-han graciously gave us."

"Us? You fed Natsuki's danger-food to another person?" Nao voiced out loud.

"Yes. Rei-kun was with me. He did answer the door when I was sleeping. Danger food?" Shizuru asked with a skeptical tone.

Nao rolled her eyes and looked at her mobile phone. "That's good and yes danger-food. Not even her dog is eating what she cooks. Don't want the mutt's partner to be dying on her before the wedding 'coz of her limited knowledge in cooking. Don't care about the toothpaste model though, mutt hates him." She mumbled while fiddling with her contacts. "Trust me, never leave that mutt to the kitchen. That's the place where boiling water can turn to a full 5 level alert fire."

"Ara? Partner?" Shizuru was now getting confused. She was expecting Natsuki to be in the council room but instead she found Nao Yuuki-Kuga. Then the redhead was saying Natsuki baked the mocha but Reito stated that Mai made it.

Nao raised a questioning brow. "I've told you how dangerous the mutt's food is and you only heard partner?" Shizuru just blinked at her. "You are an airhead at times Fujino. " She shook her head while still has her attention on her phone. "But yeah, partner. Didn't the mutt tell you yesterday? Well she got home in a bad mood but that's just Natsuki's usual self." She looked at the lost expression on Shizuru's face. "Wait, didn't Natsuki invite you to the wedding?"

Shizuru shook her head. She feared what the next question would be. _'Is she going to ask me to come to their wedding? Oh Loki, why are you playing with my feelings.'_ She kept her façade intact as Nao just gave her a surprised look.

"The fuck?! Mom clearly told Natsuki-wait hold that thought." Nao pressed the call button when she found Natsuki's name in her contact list. It took a while due to the name is different than Natsuki's original name. "Oi Mutt! Where the hell are you?" Pause. "What? At the dorms?! What in-you are waiting for who now?!" Nao glanced at Shizuru who was still heaving up heavy breathings. "She's here you dumbass! I'm at the council room and cringing every minute I am here. Mai saw you cook-what?" pause. "You owe me big time for this and I'm cashing out later at home. Be sure to work your magic fingers on me." She smiled in an evil way and ended her call.

The last threat of Nao made Shizuru tense a bit and curled her toes in pure jealousy. Inside her mind, different possibilities on what Nao meant as 'magic fingers' came to her mind and 99.9% of it left a bad taste in her mouth. _'I blame the smut and r-18 fictions.'_

"So!" Nao said loudly and tucked her phone inside her uniform skirt, making Shizuru to look at her. "The mutt forgot to tell you something and I'm not going to tell you what it is. But she did leave me a chore to do." Nao said, pushing up from the table and jumping down. "The mutt told me to tell you that she promised you that she'll take you to see the Fairytales on Saturday. So better not forget it since the mutt always keeps her promises. Lucky you." She grinned at Shizuru. "This is a mandatory invite so BE THERE. And you did cause our star striker to miss three days of practice so take responsibility for it by acting cheergirl or whatever to Fairytales." She told Shizuru and proceeds to the door.

Before Nao got out, she stopped and looked back to the brunette who stayed still on her seat. "By the way, there's an envelope there addressed to you. I suggest you read it. It's full of cavities that I'm cashing in my end of the deal with the mutt." She grinned mischievously at the brunette and left the room.

Left with nothing else to do but check on the table, Shizuru stood up and went to her original seat. With sweat finally subsiding and her breathing coming into its normal pace, she picked up the envelope and took out a single piece of paper. She read the content, smile plastered on her face, until her eyebrows began to twitch. _'You got to be kidding me…'_ Instantly, she ripped the paper into shreds while she maintained her smile and threw it in the nearby trashcan. _'Nao Yuuki.'_ She mentally said Nao's name in a tone of pure annoyance.

* * *

Outside the campus, Haruka and Yukino were riding the Suzushiro limousine when Haruka remembered something she forgot. "Yukino, did we shred that disgusting fiction about the bubuzuke?" she asked her mousy-haired friend.

Yukino adjusted her glasses and think of what specific story Haruka was talking about. "What story are you referring to Haruka-chan?" she asked, not sure on what specific story it is. There are a lot of pairings in the entries that she has lost track on ninety percent of it.

Haruka crossed her arms under her chest and huffed out loud. "You know, the one where she and I are a couple." She told Yukino.

Yukino instantly cringed. She was sure she included the said story in the papers needed to be shred. "Ofcourse Haruka-chan. I shred it first among the pile." She told Haruka with a cold smile. She was sure she shredded the said story and other relating stories.

The blonde smiled proudly and nodded her head. "Good! Good! We don't want to give someone a nightmare. God forbid how that bubuzuke's temper is when she's not happy with something." She stated with a grin. Everyone in the council knows that the saying is true. 'Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.' And they have to add that hell knows how the Fujino's rage can be in par with Loki's own punishment. Bound by a serpent with serpent's venom that drips to Loki. That is unless their family pities you and put a basin to the said dripping poison.

But Haruka had to think. "Why is the bubuzuke letting herself shy away from someone she honestly like." She mused softly, looking at the passing view.

Yukino looked at Haruka and tilted her head in confusion. "What was that Haruka-chan?" she asks curiously.

The blonde shook her head and grinned. "Nothing. Now, let's be ready for tomorrow. Who knows what type of psycho author that damn bubuzuke would choose."

* * *

**A/N: Now day 3 is finished, only one more day for the fanfiction contest for the club funds! :3 By the way, for all 3 works of Zertet, anyone can guess the derivation of Zertet's stories? hope to hear it from you guys! And since this will be the day before the grand announcement of the winner, any idea who Zertet K. is? XD I know I'm bad. I have a twisted mind and I am betting you guys are thinking what I am thinking on who Zertet is. but the question is, why Zertet? XD Anyway, again the update will be 3 days after so that be Sept. 18. And i'll tell ya, the 18th may or may not be the last chapter. depends on how I would come up with the whole scene. **

**see ya later guys! hope to hear from ya!**

**p.s did anyone ever think of what Shizuru might've read in that HaruXShizu fic that made her cringe and tore the paper apart? hahaha i'll leave it up to your imagination. XD**


	6. VI: Huntress and Wolf

**A/N: yey! made it in time! as promised, here's the new chapter of Read Me. Almost didn't make the update cut.. ahahaha. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**Announcement Day:**

The next day, Shizuru was the talk of the whole campus. During the morning ceremony, Yukino announced that the winning entry will be declared after the soccer match that would take place after first period. This made the students roared wildly minus Natsuki and her group.

"Maybe Yukino should be saying, 'Happy Hunger games, right Shi-chan?" Reito whispered to his childhood friend who just giggled whilst they are still on the stage. There were some dreamy sighs from the students who saw their interaction and he along by reaching down to his friend's hand and held it gently. It lasted for a whole minute until he instantly felt cold sweat run down his spine. He involuntarily shivered and released his hold on Shizuru's hand which made the brunette giggle and questioned why he let go. "You have an admirer that clearly hates me." He said with a dashing smile.

The brunette knew it was true. If people are not fawning over their imaginary pairing that is ShizRei, their own fans are either glaring daggers or sending threatening mails to those who they are paired up with. Sure they can't do much if it was Reito but she can tell there are some that can scare the prince of Fuuka Academy. "Fufufu. I wonder which admirer that is." She smiled.

Reito returned a handsome smile at Shizuru. "The admirer that I know will not hesitate to plan my 'unexpected' death. " he chuckled and looked back at the audience who were now cheering. "Well guess we need to sum up all the approved stories and get the best one there is."

"Then let's get back to work then and end the 'hunger games' as you have stated." Shizuru grinned and bowed her head at the audience before leaving the stage. Right behind her, the rest of the council members followed her back to the council room.

"RANGERS! HUDDLE UP! KUGA! BETTER NOT SLACK OFF!" The voice of the soccer club adviser and also the history teacher Midori, echoed out from the crowd who were dispersing.

"Yeah mutt, we all have a bet on our thirteen K Special so better be up to your game!" Shouted the HiME Rangers captain in a cocky manner. Those who heard her and known the said captain knew that she was smiling smugly as well.

"They seemed to be on fire." Reito commented, hearing the shouts from the assembly room.

"Should be. I heard they will be entering the interhigh if they fin this." Haruka said, nodded her head with a prideful smirk.

Yukino adjusted her glasses and meekly looked up to Haruka. "It's 'win' Haruka-chan. And indeed. I heard from Yuuki-san that they are gearing up. Though she did rage about their star player being out of team practice coz of council duties." She turned to Shizuru who was walking in front of them and watched her closely.

The brunette did not even react nor listened to her surroundings. Her mind was currently on the fiction contest and hoping for another entry from her mysterious Zertet. She wondered what club the said person is since there was no indication in the entries Zertet submitted.

* * *

When all four of them reached the council room and seated at their respective places, the three council members all turned their attention to Shizuru. The brunette, in a trance-like state, took one of the envelopes in the pile and began to read the content. One after another, taking only three to ten minutes tops, Shizuru was placing the entries she finished reading in the rejected bin.

"She seems to want this to end fast." Haruka commented in surprise.

Reito chuckled and took a random envelope from the pile. "I am sure she is looking for a certain entry." He pointed out and chuckled again when he read the entry in his hand.

Haruka took an envelope as well and began reading while Yukino nervously adjusted her glasses. "Yuck! Another me and that bubuzuke." Haruka shivered in disgust and shredded the paper she was reading. Yukino sighed and ripped the third paper she have silently and throwing it on the trashcan.

It took them the whole first half of the school hours to completely segregate the stories they have. Each of them now has four entries they consider as their pick and placed them in the middle of the connecting tables.

"I see we are down to sixteen entries." Shizuru said, massaging her forehead.

Reito looked down on the small stack of envelopes and back to the ladies in front of him. "We could just randomly pick one." He suggested, sighing from exhaustion of reading the stories. There were too much to read that made his brain ache as he tried to comprehend the entries that was too much graphical in their work.

Haruka glared at the raven haired man and pounded her right fist on the table. The table shaked and some of the paper from the envelope slid out. "Then I don't see the point of even asking them to write. You damn lazy guy." Her brows knitted and turned her attention to Shizuru who was reading one of the stories that slid out of their envelopes. She saw how Shizuru's eyes were focused on the story like she was very well interested in it. "Bubuzuke? Oi! Bubuzuke!" she shouted but Shizuru did not even look at her way and read on.

"Let her be Haruka. I think I have an idea why she can't hear you." Reito said with a smile and took a sip from the teacup he was cradling for the last three minutes that Haruka was calling out to Shizuru. "By experience, you won't be able to talk to her until she finishes what she is reading."

Yukino, shifting a bit on her seat, excused herself to check on an errand she had forgotten and would need to check on it. Haruka told her to finish it up early and to make sure she follows them at the soccer field for the announcement.

"So she's all fawning over that paper, again." Haruka commented when she heard Shizuru sighed in a dreamy fashion for the third time. She still has her brows furrowed when she glanced over Shizuru who was drinking tea while reading.

The dark haired male chuckled. "Well judging by her indulgence, I bet that is Zertet-san's work."

"Zertet?"

"Yes. The writer's moniker we believe." Reito explained, looking at Shizuru who was reading the story with a smile on her face. "We tried to investigate on who is this Zertet K. person is but no luck."

Haruka frowned. "Did you ask that snoop from the newspaper group or Yukino?"

"Well Harada-san said she would not divulge anything that she deems as a threat to her life. While Yukino said if she doesn't know the name and student number, she would have limited ways to find who this person is." Reito explained. He found Chie's reasoning to be strange since it was known that she will give any information at the right price. He offered a price that can range up to a free dinner at a five-star restaurant but the ashen haired woman declined.

Haruka looked surprised. _'Yukino never-ohhh.'_ She then remembered how Yukino made sure that the entries were sorted out and separated for Shizuru. "I see." She looked down on her watch. "I'll go and see Yukino right now. That Bubuzuke is too occupied to notice that the game outside is ending." She told Reito and left the room.

Reito watched Haruka leave and went back to drinking his tea. There were a few sighs from Shizuru or shuffles but he chose to ignore it. _'I believe we now have a winner.'_

Back to Shizuru, she was reading something that made her think. Like Zertet was implying something to her. How Zertet's stories somehow connected.

* * *

**Read Me**

**[In modern days, humans relay on machines. Every day, they use machines within their lives. Humans have forgotten the dark times where their lives were targeted by mythical beasts. They have forgotten and when they are faced with such trivial things, they fear it. That is why there is a special clan or family that made sure such beasts would not show even a tip of their hide within society. **

**"Are you sure this is the right place?" Asked a man wearing a dark maroon colored trench coat with a black inner clothing , black gloves and black strapped boots. He held a sheathed katana by his left hand while his right hand held night vision binoculars over his eyes. A Hunter.**

**"I am sure of this. The tip came from the Underground itself." Said by the Hunter's partner that has a feminine voice. The Hunter's partner that is currently hidden by the dark shade of the tree said.**

**The two figures stood atop of a tree, overlooking a manor by the cliffside. The said manor was hidden mu lush greenery and thick woods that it was not an easy task to see. Hence the night vision binoculars being used by the man to see the said household.**

**"The Underground are full of scums mi'lady. How sure are you that we are going to find our target there?" the Hunter asked.**

**Still hidden within the shadows, the woman that the man was talking to let out an accented growl as a reaction. "The tip came from the Kitsune." The woman told the man.**

**"Oh. Yeah reliable. Got'cha!" the Hunter grinned. He tucked the binoculars to his knapsack and stood up. "So, shall we mi'lady?" **

**There was a rustle in the shadows and the Hunter laughed. "Fine then, have it your way." He said and jumped down the ten foot tree and began to dash off to the manor.**

**The Hunter made it to the door of the manor and held his katana tightly. "Are you sure mi'lady? If the tip is indeed legit, we are going to face the king of kings." He knew his partner hid in the shadows but she was near enough to hear his whisper.**

**"Blood must be repaid by blood." The woman said in a threatening tone. With the thick accent, her voice sent shivers to the Hunter's spine. "Let's go. We are burning the midnight oil and we cannot afford to stay here until sunrise." There was a creak on the floor and in an instant, the door of the manor opened.**

**They got inside the dark manor and searched the whole first floor for their target. Deciding to proceed to the second floor, the Hunter had to scoff out loud for the possibility that the tip was again in vain. They searched the left wing of the manor and found no sign of life and now headed to the right wing.**

**"Well this is the last area." The Hunter said, looking around for any sign of their target.**

**"Keep your eyes peeled. We are dealing with the only beast that survived the purge that lasted centuries." The woman said, standing within the dark tapestry. The tapestry was embroidered with a wolf howling at the white full moon. Beneath the wolf are yellow flowers within the snowbed. **

**The Hunter nodded his head and paced to the last room of the right wing. The room facing the cliff, the room at the end of the hallway. Keeping his guard up, he carefully opened the door and swallowed an invisible lump in his throat. **

**Golden colored irises looked around the dark room and found no sign of life yet again. he looked back to his partner that was hidden in the shadows of the large oak door. "Mi'lady, seems our tip was again a fluke. There's nothing-"**

**"Leave." A thick voice said within the room.**

**The Hunter tensed up and turned back to the room. There was no one inside. "Show yourself beast!"**

** "Leave now." The voice said once again.**

**Before the Hunter could move, there was a sound of flapping thick cloth and metal. He grinned when there was a sound of crashing and metal clashing inside the room. The Hunter heard the scuffle and immediately ran to the nearest drape and pulled it open. "Mi'lady!" he shouted, worried about his partner. The moon's light illuminated the room, lighting the portion where the Hunter's companion lunged for the occupant of the room. **

**The woman was clothed in a long sleeved coat with a color that resembles a freshly splattered blood over black pavement, white fitted shirt with snake markings printed on it, black tight fitting pants that goes down to her thighs and a pair of black heeled boots. On top of her chestnut colored hair is a black stripe cap with a red sash around it. She is currently straddling someone that is currently lying on the floor, long black hair covering the face. Crimson colored eyes stared at the figure beneath her and both her hands clenched on the black suit of the figure. **

**"Came to kill me Huntress? Kill the 'king of beasts'?" the figure beneath the labeled huntress said in a raspy voice.**

**The Huntress clenched her hands tighter on her captive's suit and pulled her captive up to the level of her face. "Yes." The Huntress said in a tone of spite.**

**The figure laughed softly. "What have you heard from society to hunt me Huntress?" With the moon illuminating the two of them, crimson eyes laid upon the figure's appearance. Dressed in an expensive pinstriped suit that hugged the figure's body perfectly, black leather gloves and black shiny leather shoes, both hunters found that they encountered a female. Long black tresses tied messily in a ponytail with a few fringes framing the side of her face and two furred ears atop of her head. Emerald eyes glowed brightly along the moonlight and a toothy fanged smile was shown to the Huntress. **

**Crimson eyes examined the so-called 'King of Beasts'. She resembles a human minus the wolfish ears and fanged set of teeth. Pinning the sad King of Beasts down to the floor, she took out a long magnum revolver with a 'RRR' inscription on the barrel. The said gun was thrust to the chest of the beast king and pulled the hammer. "A lot." She tilted the gun upward and stared at the face of the King of Beasts. **

**The King of Beasts scoffed loudly and turned her head a bit to the side. "Then try Huntress." She told the Huntress, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Her chest was puffed up as the gun was shoved to it. **

**"Do it mi'lady!" the Hunter who was watching the whole scene shouted. **

**The Huntress narrowed her eyes, glaring at the so-called King of Beasts beneath her. Stories passed down from generation to generations told how the King of Beasts is the most powerful being in the night. How the said creature can bring havoc over a village in just one night. The fearsome King of Beasts.**

**But what she expected as a challenge is now giving up without a fight. Lying on the ground, daring her to pull the trigger. Her partner was there, ready to provide assistance if the fight would get rough for her but she found no resistance from the beast king. **

**"Why are you giving up easily?" she asked, pulling the gun away from the King of Beast's chest. There was a deep intake of breath and a slow exhale.**

**The King of Beasts kept quiet, eyes still closed.**

**Irritated at the King of Beast's ignoring her, she grabbed on the collar of the King of Beasts' clothing and pulled her up. Eyes blazing in annoyance, she glared at the sullen looking King of Beasts. "I demand to know why?! You were known to have a voice that can resemble a charmer! Emerald eyes that were told to be beautiful like a gem! Lithe hands that is crafty yet dangerous! Lips that hid the sharp fanged teeth!"**

**The King of Beasts growled softly but avoided the gaze of the Huntress.**

**"Why are you giving up easily?! Are you trying to atone for all the evil deeds you have done?!"**

**There was laughter from the King of Beasts.**

**The Huntress pulled the King of Beasts closer to her, pointing the gun under the King of Beasts chin. "Do not mock me! Are you giving up for tearing my ancestor's heart apart? For killing Kiyohime?!" She snarled and pulled the trigger of her gun, firing it at the King of Beasts.**

**A loud gunshot echoed with the room and at the same time, the Huntress pushed herself away from the limp King of Beasts. Smoke covered the head of the King of Beasts and the Hunter approached his companion.**

**"Is it over?" the Hunter asked, placing a hand over the shoulder of the Huntress. His companion shook her head and kept her guard up. A second after, the Hunter slumped to the ground, blood seeping out from his shoulder.**

**"Rei!" The Huntress shouted, kneeling down to her fallen comrade and cradling his head. Instantly placing a hand over the wounded shoulder and casted cure magic over it.**

**"Kiyo…Hime…" a raspy voice came from the fallen King of Beasts. The smoke covering her head slowly dissipates and bright green eyes shone under the moonlight. Eyes that gleam strongly and vibrant. "You dare spoke of her name?!" the King of Beasts growled and lunged at the Huntress, pinning her to the floor a few feet away from the fallen Hunter. **

**The Huntress was caught off guard. Above her, she was staring at raged emerald eyes with blood coming out of it. ****_'Crying? She's crying out blood?!'_**** she noticed, surprised that the King of Beasts fast movement.**

**"You know nothing of Kiyohime! Nothing! Kiyohime, Kiyo, Amethyst! You don't know how each and everyone one of them died before me!" the King of Beasts shouted, eyes glaring at the Huntress in a dangerous level. She lifted her left hand, sharp nails poking out of the fingers and pointed at the woman beneath her.**

**"I know enough that you are the cause of their deaths!" the Huntress shouted back, struggling against the hold of the beast king. She pushed herself upward, pushing the beast king down to the floor. "Amethyst died after you dug her claws to her body, protecting her lover! Kiyo died of heart ache after you killed her lover! Kiyohime… my great-grandmother… You took her away from my great-grandfather and tore her heart out!"**

**The King of Beasts growled louder and swiftly stood up with her left hand holding the Huntress by the collar of her coat. Her cap was removed, revealing her crimson colored eyes. Emerald eyes glared at crimson. "You are misinformed Huntress. Such lies are always the reason for the hunt against me." She told the Huntress who continue to struggle away from her. With rage filling her head, her judgment was clouded and the temptation of killing a human was filling her head. **

**"Lies?! No, they are the truth!" The Huntress shouted, removing her coat and rolling away from the King of Beasts. Standing a good distance from her foe, she took another gun from the holster belted behind her and fired it at the direction of the King of Beasts. **

**But the bullet did not pierce any part of the King of Beasts. Instead, it was caught by her gloved right hand. **

**Emerald eyes examined the bullet in her hand and grinned. "Silver bullets." She raised it up and smelled the said bullet. "Coated with Wolfsbane water." She closed her hand and ground the bullet to dust. The mixture of the bullet piqued her interest and simmered her anger. A smirk replaced her grin. "Interesting. This bullet is called 'Wolf Bullet'. Designed to kill one of my kind. There's only three women knows how to make these and they are dead." She looked at the Huntress and finally noticed how vibrant her crimson eyes are. How her eyes reminded her of the women in her past. She laughed loudly, throwing her head back and covering her eyes with her left hand, crimson tears trickling down her cheeks. "Ahahahahaha! I see, I see."**

**The Huntress watched in confusion. Several questions came popping inside her head. Like how the King of Beasts was crying out blood, why the bullet did not even scratch her enemy, how the King of Beasts did knew the content of the bullet. She pulled the hammer of her gun down again, readying to fire, when her companion roared in anger and attacked the King of Beasts.**

**"Die bitch!" the Hunter declared, unsheathing his sword and swinging it towards the King of Beasts.**

**But an invisible force protected the King of Beasts that caused the sword to bounce back, throwing the wielder to the ground.**

**"Rei! Are you alright?!" The Huntress asked in a worried tone. Her partner shook her head, dusting away the dust that clung to his hair and then nodded her head which now being trailed by blood from her temple.**

**The King of Beasts turned to her attacker and smiled wickedly. "Ah, spawn of the Obsidian Prince." She laughed and turned her back around. "You are amusing Huntress, gaining the trust of the Obsidian Prince's seed. How history loves to taunt me." She snickered and paced towards the wall high glass door leading to the balcony. "You and that filthy man can use the rooms on the left wing. Rest and do try to kill me again if you wish." She stopped by the middle of the balcony and her room and smiled. "By the way Huntress, what is your name?" she asks.**

**Left inside, the Huntress raised her right brow when she heard the King of Beasts asking for her name. "It's Viola."**

**The king of Beasts snapped her left hand fingers and a bouquet purple rose appeared on her hand. "A pleasure to meet you dear Viola." She threw the bouquet to Viola who skillfully caught it with ease. "My name is Kruger, King of Beasts. I shall see you again later, Viola." She said, exiting the room and jumping off the balcony.**

**"What the hell was that?!' Rei said outloud, staring at the spot where Kruger last stood.**

**Viola, startled at the gesture of the King of Beasts, looked at the bouquet in her hand and gently leaned down to smell it. It smelled like the cool mountain breeze. A small smile etched on her lips. "I'm not sure. But since she said we can rest here, let's take that offer."**

**"Are you sure?" Rei asked.**

**"Yes. Let's go and challenge her tomorrow." ****_'That Kruger… I wonder if the stories are indeed true…'_**

**Rei nodded his head and sheathed his sword while Viola took her guns and put them in her holster. He saw how Viola carefully held the bouquet and tilted his head. "Say mi'lady, do you think our fathers said are true? About the King of Beasts being a monster?" **

**Viola, done wearing her coat, looked at the balcony. "Who knows? Who knows…" she smiled and exited the room, heading for the left wing with Rei following her behind. ****_'You are interesting Kruger. Shedding blood tears over the person that was told to be killed by you. Interesting.'] –_****Zertet K.**

* * *

Shizuru finished reading the story and found it rather incomplete yet again. As she read the story, she wanted to know why the stories always end up with the charming protagonist leaving. How it ends in a way that she wants to think of different endings. And how the recent story somehow made a connection with the other three. _'Is the three maidens in Zertet-han's story named Kiyohime, Kiyo and Amethyst?'_ she asked herself.

"Are you done with reading Shi-chan? Shall we now announce that Zertet-san won?" Reito said with a smile.

Shizuru looked at Reito, a blush adoring her cheeks, and giggled. "I feel like the contest itself is rigged by choosing Zertet's works." She told her friend.

Reito merely laughed and shakes his head. "No, not really. It just happens that you fancied Zertet-san's works more than the others." He told her, assuring her that choosing Zertet K.'s work is not considered as rigged.

There was a sound of loud whistle that interrupted the two council members and Shizuru instantly looked outside. She realized that the Fuuka HiME Rangers are having their soccer match. Forgetting the contest for a minute, she stood up and decided to watch the game. Reito smiled and watched the game along with his friend

"They are at the last seconds Shi-chan. If they scored a goal, they'll win." Reito informed his friend who was busy looking for her blunette crush.

"Move it Kuga!" Nao shouted after kicking the ball towards the goal. The ball hit the top bar of the goal and bounced back to the field. At the same time, Natsuki ran towards the goal, anticipating the ball, and when the ball was in her range, she jumped.

There was silence from the field when they saw Natsuki jumped. Even Shizuru held her breath.

Natsuki was smiling and did a roundhouse kick at the ball. The ball shot forward at a fast pace, pushing the goalie back to the goal. The crowd cheered loudly at Natsuki who now was lying on the ground with her right hand raised up.

"Thirteen K!" Nao shouted.

"There you have it folks! HiME Rangers will proceed to the interhigh!" The announcer said, gaining more cheers from the crowd.

Reito smiled. It was given how the tandem of Nao and Natsuki were the leading point gatherer of the team. He looked beside his friend who has her hand over her lips, eyes glossy which he can tell as on the verge of tears. "Shi-chan, time to announce the winner?" He told her with a smile.

Shizuru wiped the tears forming on the side of her eyes and nodded her head. "Yes. Let's go."

Both of them went out of the council room and proceeded to the soccer field. Shizuru felt nervous at how she will handle meeting Zertet K. after she announce the winner. As they walk towards the field, a question popped inside her mind. _'Oh my! I wonder if Zertet-han would prefer a date with Rei-kun than me. Ara, ara. This is rather troublesome.'_

* * *

The crowd cheered loudly at the winning of the Fuuka HiME Rangers. The team carried both Nao and Natsuki, praising their teamwork. Chie, Mai and Mikoto cheered for them as well, standing by one of the bleachers.

A platform was placed at the middle of the field and there stood the council members, holding the trophy for the HiME Rangers. Fans cheered for their favorite soccer team and at the same time cheered for the Student Council president.

"Alright! Alright! We know they won!" Haruka bellowed which earned the audience and the players to wince in pain. The speakers sent out feedbacks that caused those who heard her whine. "Great! Now that you all are done cheering for the Rangers, time to give out their trophy and that Fujino announce the winner of the fiction contest!"

The field was once again filled with cheers.

Haruka pulled the chuckling Shizuru forward and glared at her. "Shut them up bubuzuke! And send them back to their classes!" she left the center platform and stood in line with Yukino and Reito.

Everyone stopped their cheering and gave Shizuru a look of anticipation. Crimson eyes looked around her audience, searching for a blunette soccer player, and found her being bandaged up by Nao. Her smile faltered a bit, remembering how the two are close but kept up her façade for the sake of everyone. "Greetings everyone." She said through the microphone. The audience greeted her back and she just giggled in response. "My all of you are so lively today. Anyway, I would like to call the representatives of the HiME Rangers to come and get their trophy." She smiled towards the HiME Rangers' bench which Nao was being pushed to the center field.

Nao confidently walking up the stage winked at the audience and gathered up different fawning cheers over her. There were some declaring their love but Nao just laughed it off.

"Fufufu, Yuuki-han seems famous among the female fans." Shizuru teased, holding the trophy to be given to the redhead.

Standing in front of the Fuuka student council president, Nao just smirked at her. "Well, who wouldn't be? But compared to Natsuki over there, she's the same as you." She told Shizuru.

"Oh? How so?" Shizuru asked, handing over the trophy to Nao who thanked her for it.

Holding the first place trophy, Nao's grin went wider. "Both ofyou have the whole school as fans." She faced the audience and raised the trophy proudly. Everyone cheered. "HiME RANGERS!" she shouted over the microphone.

The members of the HiME Rangers raised up their right arms in response to their captain. "FIGHT!"

Shizuru giggled at how the HiME Rangers cooperated with their captain. After a few more cheers, Nao stepped down the stage and went to her team. "Fufufu. Yes congratulations HiME Rangers." She cleared her throat and faced her anticipating audience. "And now, after careful deliberation and reading almost a thousand stories; We, the student council, are glad to announce the winner of the Fanfiction contest."

Erupted cheers once again filled the whole soccer field. Some of the audience whistled and some are drumming over the bleachers.

Shizuru placed her right hand over her chest. She felt nervous. She wanted to know who Zertet is but also wanted to make sure that Zertet would take her out. Taking a deep breath, she held the microphone tightly and decided to announce the winner. "The winning entry, which I can say did not indicate which club he/she is in, is the author named Zertet K.!"

There were different reactions among the audience. Some shouted in despair for not being picked by the council as a winner, some laughed at those who were crying over losing the event. Shizuru watched carefully for any sign of declaring that they are Zertet. But even after waiting for a full three minutes, no one walked up to her and said he/she is Zertet.

"Ara! Does anyone here knows who Zertet-han is?" she asked the audience. But none of them replied with a positive answer.

"Fake! Choose another one kaichou!" one audience said, garnering the agreement of the others.

But Shizuru shook her head. "Kannin na, it would be unfair to Zertet-han. Maybe he or she is absent today. I will give that person until the end of the day before I can choose-"

Shizuru's announcement was cut short when Yukino tugged the hem of her vest. The brunette kaichou turned around and saw Yukino handing her a small tan-colored envelope. "Uhm, Kaichou. Someone sent this to you via student messenger." Yukino told Shizuru.

Shizuru took the envelope and opened it, finding a small piece of paper. She took the said paper out and examined it, only to find the handwriting of Zertet K.

**["Tell me princess, what do you desire from announcing my victory? Do desire fantasy? Then I advise to only dream of me. But if you desire reality, come find me. I will be at the restaurant called LindenBaum on the night after the sun sets today. Approximately 8:00pm. Choose well on your answer."]-Zertet K.**

Shizuru chuckled and placed the letter back inside the envelope. "Ara, ara. It seems that Zertet-han already decided to ask me on a date tomorrow night. Fufufu." She said, holding the envelope gently. She faced her audience and showed them a smile. "Well, Zertet-han clearly did not show him/herself today but sent me a message about the date reward. Fufufu. Thank you everyone for gracing us, the student council, with your wonderful stories. We now have a winner and would like to ask your cooperation in congratulating Zertet-han's work." She told everyone. The audience was forced to cheer for the mysterious author and Shizuru couldn't help but giggle at their faux cheer. Stopping the prolonged agony, Shizuru dismissed everyone for lunch while she and the rest of the council decided to have lunch as well.

"Tomorrow Zertet-han… we'll see each other tomorrow." Shizuru giggled.

Reito, walking beside Shizuru, raised a curious brow over his friend. "Shi-chan, let me remind you that we are going to see the Fairytales tomorrow night." He eyed her friend who suddenly stopped walking and looking at him with a baffled look. "Didn't Kuga-san asked you out to see them?"

Shizuru blinked a few times. "Ara, ara… This event is really troublesome." She said, now wondering what appointment she'll take on Saturday night.

* * *

**A/N: ahhh finally! I thought I wasn't able to update today.. whew! had to file an SL yesterday coz of insane reason. Gotta love how your team would not consider the heavy rain + traffic as a work from home reason (insert sarcasm). So back to the fiction. Zertet K. won! wohoo! who did not think of Zertet winning at all? ahahaha. Now two questions remain for Shizuru. Who is Zertet K. and which event she'll attend? XD Next update will be on the 21st, hope you guys would wait for it. :)**

**Love to hear from you guys! thanks and happy reading!**


	7. VII: Releasing the Bird

**A/N: **Ahh done with the update! Finally, really this update is a headache for me. I can't think of anything to put as an interval between Shizuru deciding and the saturday evening event. So this might not be that good? well you are the judge so please tell me. :D

Oh! Thank you guys for the nice reviews. you guys made me so happy! :3

** hashbrowndomo:** hahah told ya! Love that ice cream really. And yeah, I work at EW, just in Global One building (where family mart is located) XD

So without stalling, here's the next chappie.

* * *

**Decision, decision:**

Lunch time, cafeteria.

"I must say, Zertet-san is sneaky by doing that." Reito commented, taking a bite of his club sandwich.

Haruka, biting on her share of the sandwich, just laughed. "Ha! I hope this Zertet person is fat." She taunted.

"Haruka-chan, please do not taunt the kaichou." Yukino meekly said, taking small bites off her own sandwich. As she munched on her sandwich, she held her head down and looked at table that is placed three tables away from them. The table of Natsuki and her friends. The loudest table within the cafeteria.

Shizuru, sitting quietly and inhaling the aroma of her tea, glanced at the said rowdy table. There, she saw Nao standing beside the sitting Natsuki, right arm draped at the blunette's shoulder and her left balled up fist giving her a noogie. Mai was giggling at the two while Mikoto was gobbling up any food she gets her hands on. Chie and Aoi both smiled at the soccer duo, looking proud at them.

"I told you Chie! Our golden girl here would take the cup even she's doing that punishment duty and she didn't prove me wrong!" Nao said loudly, wide grin adoring her face.

"Ahaha! That she is! Man! How did you do it Nao?" Chie asked, laughing proudly at Natsuki's victory.

"Well, it's easy when you use mayonnaise as bait and the threat of kicking her out of our room. Oh! Oh! Add up the fact she will wear a dress for the wedding if we lose." Nao said in an evil manner.

Natsuki swatted away Nao's left hand. "Tsk! I curse the day I let you bunk bed with me. And how the hell did mom allow you to get a hold of my mayo stash?!" she shouted, glaring at Nao who apparently did not even find it as threatening.

"Mom loves me. Hahaha being the soon-to-be new addition to the family has its perks. Mom did give me that awesome Toyota MR-S for agreeing to this whole marriage." Nao boasted.

Everyone around the table minus Natsuki and Mikoto laughed.

"Ohh I'm so happy for the two of you! Marriage at such an age!" Mai said, engulfing the two green-eyed women.

There was a sudden tremor at the Student Council table. The table shook from the force of Shizuru's cup being placed on it and the brunette standing up and leaving without a word. Everyone in the cafeteria turned their attention to the council table and watched how Reito shot up from his seat and attempted to follow the brunette kaichou.

But the childhood friend of Shizuru was stopped dead on his tracks when his golden colored irises saw a fast moving blue blur ran past him. The door to which Shizuru exited now closed loudly after being yanked open in brute force. Next thing he saw was Nao walking with her hands clasped together behind her head, looking bored, with Chie, Aoi, Mikoto and Mai following behind her as well.

"Well, gotta hand it to Natsuki. She takes the game 'Fetch' into a whole new level." Nao said as she paced her way towards the exit.

"C'mon it's Natsuki we are talking about. She has a binder full of-" Chie's voice died down when she exited the room.

"I still find it strange how they wanted the whole wedding a secret." Aoi said in a curious tone. She exited the cafeteria after her girlfriend opened the door for her.

"Mai! Mai! I get to be in the wedding right? There will be lotsa food right?" Mikoto ecstatically questioned, pulling the busty culinary club president who has a weak smile plastered on her face.

"Yes, yes Mikoto. Now Natsuki said to keep it a secret since we don't want NAtsuki to be breathing down our necks. You almost tipped your brother about that tret-" Mai's voice died down as the small group exited the cafeteria.

Reito stood frozen in place and blinked in confusion. He was supposed to follow his childhood friend, comfort her in any way she wanted, but he now felt that someone beat him to it. Recalling the blue blur and the small group of Natsuki leaving the cafeteria, a contented smile replaced his surprised expression.

"Aren't you going to fun after the bubuzuke?" Haruka asked, watching Reito standing a good three steps away from his seat.

Yukino shook her head. "It's 'run' Haruka-chan." She corrected her blonde friend.

Reito sighed deeply and went back to his seat. "Well, sometimes, one has to let go of the caged bird if the bird wanted wider sky." He said with a soft smile. True, he has been holding Shizuru back and always been there for her at times of need. But seeing how a certain blunette outran him, knowing she would be following his childhood friend, he finally took a step back and let others handle his friend. _'Make this worth it Shizuru._' He decided to pack some of the sandwiches they have for Shizuru to eat later on during the council meeting.

Haruka grinned wide. "Ha! Finally setting your prized possession free eh? Giving up the war after winning so many winning skirmishes." She said, half teasing and half serious. Among their small circle, it was known by Yukino and herself how the famed Black prince fell hard for the bewitching Kaichou. It was funny to watch but also sad since all three of them know that Shizuru has never looked at Reito the way he wanted it to be.

Reito showed Haruka a pearly white smile. A smile that can top any male model in Fuuka. "You could say that I finally met my match."

* * *

Shizuru ran. No, more like strides in a hastily yet blind manner that the moment she realized she left the cafeteria is when her face came in contact with the hard wooden trunk of the cherry blossom tree at the middle of the school garden. The place where a few students know about. Her nose bumped to the tree bark first then followed by her forehead. The sudden impacts made her topple back forcibly, threatening her to fall hard on the cobbled path. She closed her eyes and awaited the painful kiss of her back and the stony pathway.

But the pain did not pass through her whole body. Let alone feel the cold hard ground. Instead of toppling down to the stone filled ground, she was leaning backwards and her back was feeling a familiar soft feeling and her waist the protective hug.

"Sometimes, I think that the so-called graceful Fujino-sama isn't that graceful after all." Someone whispered to her ear in a mocking yet gentle tone of voice. She felt a silk cloth touch her forehead and nose, wiping away the dirt that it gathered from hitting the tree.

Shizuru shivered in pleasure when she heard the familiar voice at a close proximity of her left ear. She also felt the hot breath of the person who spoke to her at the shell of her ear and she can't help but blush. In addition of the soft feeling that her back is leaning at, she was sure the blush was now visible for everyone to see. _'Natsuki…'_

"Oi Fujino! Did that hit on the head finally knock you out? Oh god! You need to stay alive! Else mom would skin my hide." Natsuki said in a panicked tone. "Oh shit! She might take away my mayonnaise! Or worse, dump it in the garbage with me watching and can't do anything about it!"

Shizuru was rendered speechless of a full minute before she regained her composure and heard Natsuki's rambling. She had to admit, the fear in Natsuki's tone was genuine and she couldn't help but to chuckle at how the blunette fear a mayonnaise-included punishment. The blunette just made her smile. "Fufufu I am fine Kuga-han." She said, leaning closer to Natsuki's warmth and making herself comfortable within the blunette's arms.

Natsuki tensed when she felt the additional weight in Shizuru's body and quivered a bit. "Fujino, don't move too much else we both going to fall to the ground." Natsuki pointed out. Her legs were shaking in fatigue from the competition she was in a few hours ago and the weight of Shizuru, though not much heavy in her opinion, was putting more stress on her legs.

The warning was taken as a chance of teasing by the brunette. She looked up, emeralds staring down at her with her brows creased and she took the chance to act as if she was hurt. "Are you implying I am rather excessive in some parts of my body that caused a great weight for you to bear, kuga-han?" she asked.

Natsuki was baffled by the question. She was not sure if Shizuru was asking if the reason for the added weight was due to Shizuru thinking she's fat or if Shizuru is asking is she was too heavy for her to carry. "Err… No?" she said in a questioning tone. A fair answer for both questions.

But Shizuru pushed it a bit and added a sniffle in her act. "Y-you sound unsure. You must think I'm fat." She said in a faux hurt tone. While she continues her act, not once did she pushed away from the blunette, instead she snuggled closer.

"What?! No! You are not fat!" Natsuki shouted in surprise. There are two things she learned from hanging out with her friends. One is to never say no to Mai's food. Ever. And two, which has two parts, are: part one, don't comment about their clothes if they ask 'does this look good' and part two is never, ever, even betting her mayo, to say women are fat. It would cause her early retirement and her left arm would not be the only part injured.

But Shizuru continued to act like Natsuki hurt her feelings until her feet were no longer on the ground. A sudden squeak escaped her lips and her arms instinctively arapped her arms around Natsuki's neck.

"Wow, you are light." Natsuki said, looking down at Shizuru with both of her brows rose in surprise.

Shizuru looked up to Natsuki with a startled expression on her face. She was caught off-guard yet again by the blunette beauty. She clung on Natsuki's body for dear life, thinking at first that she was falling again.

Natsuki was able to carry Shizuru for a full five seconds before her legs gave in to the stress and decided that it needed rest. She made sure that Shizuru would not be hurt and tried to regain her balance as her body wobbled due to fatigue. Twirling a bit, she hit her back to the tree trunk and slid down to the ground, cradling Shizuru securely as she now sat on the dirt-filled ground while the brunette perched on her lap.

"Natsuki! are you alright?!" Shizuru asked in fear that the blunette was hurt after slamming to the tree trunk, unconsciously calling out Natsuki's name. Her crimson eyes looked at the body of the soccer striker and then up to her face where she saw a silly grin etched on Natsuki's face. A beautiful silly grin. _'Ara… I think I've fallen for her again.'_

"Yeah I'm fine. But uh-" Natsuki's face began to show a red tint on her cheeks. "Y-you called me Natsuki." she stated.

Shizuru finally realized that she did call Natsuki by her first name. her face suddenly copied Natsuki's reaction and she shy away from the blunette, hiding her blush. "Uhm, I apologize if I offended Kuga-han-" she was stopped in midsentence when she felt warm tips of Natsuki's fingers touched her chin. The said digits cupped her chin and gently guided her head to face its owner who now looking at her with a gentle smile.

"Natsuki would be fine, Fujino-san." The blunette said in a soft tone.

Shizuru found it rather strange for the blunette to act gentle when it's just the two of them. Sure she likes the brashness of the blunette but she also loved the gentleness she shows. She smiled at Natsuki and nodded her head. "Then Natsuki it is. But in return, please call me Shizuru."

Natsuki's lips pouted a bit and it made Shizuru a bit nervous. The brunette cannot tell if Natsuki would really call her name since only three people in campus did call her that.

"Shi-zuru…" Natsuki said, brows furrowing a bit. "Shiz-uru. Hmmm." Natsuki clicked her tongue and took a deep breath. "Shizuru." Her face lit up after saying the brunette's name. "Nice to meet you then Shizuru." She said in a suave tone. The way she said Shizuru's name is like making herself comfortable in saying it.

Shizuru felt elated when Natsuki said her name over and over again. It sounded divine to her ears and she would really love it if she can hear Natsuki always call out her name suavely. _'Well in a suave manner or screaming due to pleasure.'_ Her mind noted. Reminding herself that she finally got the name of Natsuki from Natsuki herself, she reached out her right hand and touched Natsuki's cheek. "A pleasure to meet you too Nat-su-ki." She said in a sultry tone, her lips tugging up into a smirk.

They stared at each other with smiles gracing their lips after their short introduction. Natsuki still held Shizuru while the brunette was just comfortable in sitting at Natsuki's lap. They just stayed there, oblivious to the world around them.

Natsuki's vest pocket started to vibrate and blared out pop genre music.

**Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?**

**Save me from the things I see!**

**I can keep it from the world,**

**Why won't you let me hide from me? (1)**

The blunette sighed and adjusted her hold on Shizuru, holding her only with her right arm that supported her back, and fished out her phone. She showed an apologetic smile to Shizuru before she answered the phone.

"What spider?" Natsuki asked in a flat tone. She nodded her head and then her brows slowly furrowed. "WHAT?!" Emerald eyes looked up to the visible campus building. "Dammit spider! Gah! Stop teasing! Fine fine, I'm going!" she growled and ended the call.

Shizuru's warm and sunny la-la land suddenly became cold and encountered a typhoon signal three plus hurricane. She felt Natsuki shrug under her and slowly stood up, carrying her in the process. "Natsuki?" she called out the blunette, curious to why she carried her.

Natsuki sighed a bit and just showed Shizuru another apologetic smile. "Nao called, said that classes are about to start. And the fact she can see us from our math class so I kinda need to shut her up."

"Ara? Classes have started?" Shizuru inquired, unaware that the lunch time has ended.

Natsuki nodded her head. "Yeah. So uh, see you after class?" SHizuru gave her a questioning look.  
"Er, ya' know. The council punishment." She informed the brunette.

Shizuru remembered that Natsuki's punishment ended a day ago, due to her jealousy over the redhead. Staying with her previous decision, she shook her head. "I told Natsuki a day ago that she does not need to attend to punishment."

But Natsuki grinned. "That was not official, Shizuru. So I still need to finish today's punishment and after that, I am out of your council room."

"Ara? What does-"

"Just see you later okay? Unless you want us to skip school, which I won't disagree, let's go to our classes." Natsuki interjected.

Shizuru was speechless. She was unsure on what is the reason why Natsuki wanted to continue the punishment, knowing how she avoided it when Haruka is the one ordering it. Leaving it as it is, and not wanting to miss her class, she nodded her head in agreement. "Alright if Natsuki says so." She looked at how her arms were wrapped around the blunette's neck and her body was being carried like a bride. "So, will Natsuki be carrying me back to campus and let the whole student body see us?" she said coyly and securing herself in Natsuki's arms.

Natsuki blinked and finally realized she was carrying the brunette. She immediately set her down, gently of course, and began to continuously bow her head as she apologizes for her actions. Shizuru chuckled at the notion and reached out to touch Natsuki's shoulder.

"Natsuki it's alright. I was just teasing." Shizuru told Natsuki who stopped her bowing and maintained her head down. Somehow she can assume the blunette was blushing and she wants to see the said blush. "Please Natsuki, don't bow your head to me."

But Natsuki did not move. Shizuru then smiled and crouched down to see Natsuki's face.

Just as Shizuru thought, Natsuki's face was indeed decorated by a blush. She smiled and cupped Natsuki's cheek. "It's fine really. Shall we now go? I believe your math class is in the same floor as my elective class."

Natsuki avoided Shizuru's gaze and silently nods. Both of them now standing straight up and dusted off the dirt that clung on their uniform. The brunette offered to dust away the small bark debris that clung on Natsuki's back. Shyly, Natsuki agreed and Shizuru walked behind Natsuki and wiped away the debris.

"There! All clean. Fufufu." Shizuru said, smiling proudly at her work.

"Ah, thanks Shizuru." Natsuki said, blushing. She looked up for a second and let out a brief sigh. With a weak grin being shown to Shizuru, she suddenly ran away, leaving Shizuru behind. "See you after class Shizuru!" she shouted before disappearing from the distance.

Shizuru blinked a few times, wondering why the blunete rushed away. She looked up to where Natsuki was looking and a glint of the sun's ray hit her right eye. She moved a step back and looked at the source of the offending light. Squinting her eyes a bit, she saw a glimpse of red hair by the campus building. "Ah. I see." She mumbled and decided to leave the school garden and head to her class with a smile plastered to her face. "Maybe I should run to a tree more often."

* * *

Solace. Shizuru found solace within the walls of the Student Council room. Leaning back to her seat and massaging her temples, Shizuru wanted to relax a bit aftere the whole afternoon classes of Q&A about a certain fanfiction winner. To add up, the council tea supply has just depleted.

"I'm never going to let Haruka hold our tea budget again." She whispered, complaining how Haruka bought just ten boxes of tea than the usual thirty since she justified that they should be model students and not spend too much fund over some beverage. "How I wish that tea would magically appear before me." She said, massaging her temples a bit harder.

As if her wish was granted by some magical tea genie, her sharp tea senses tingled and she smelled the fresh aroma of a fine brewed tea. Sitting upright, she smelled around to find the source of tea until her sense of smell led her to the direction of the door. When she opened her eyes, she saw a certain blunette carrying a black thermos. "Ara! Natsuki?"

"Err, ya ok Shizuru?" Natsuki asked with a baffled expression.

"Yes." Shizuru said. With her mind filled with tea craving, she pointed the thermos that Natsuki was holding. "Is the content of that container tea?" she asked.

Natsuki looked at the thermos she was holding and back to Shizuru. She nodded her head as a reply to the question. "Uh, yeah? I mean yes. That lioness Suzushiro was ranting about the tea shortage when I passed by her class and uh- made one for you. Hope you are fine with oolong tea? "

Shizuru's face brightens up and she told Natsuki to sit beside her. The blunette complied to the offer and made her way to Haruka's seat. The thermos was given to Shizuru and in a swift motion that can put ninjas to shame; Shizuru took the thermos and now cradling a steaming cup of tea. She took a sip of the said beverage, she sighed dreamily.

"Ah! This taste wonderful and the aroma." Shizuru commented in a dreamy manner. "What blend is this Natsuki?"

Natsuki, who was watching Shizuru with abaffled expression, blinked a few times. "Huh? Oh! Da Hong Pao." She said nonchalantly.

Shizuru almost choked on her drink when Natsuki said the name of the tea that was served to her. Being knowledgeable with the varieties of tea, it was common knowledge that the Da Hong Pao is the most expensive tea blend. To be served by such tea, and Natsuki saying she made it after knowing of the tea shortage, she was astonished by Natsuki's kindness. "Ara, ookini. Where did Natsuki get this blend?"

The blunette grinned. "Home." She said like it was the common thing in the world.

"What? Your house?" Shizuru asked and Natsuki nodded her head.

"Yeps. I kinda, skipped last subject and drove all the way home. Mom has a lot of this so taking a few bags won't hurt."

Shizuru giggled and shook her head. "You really amuse me Natsuki." She said, getting her attention back to the tea.

"So, no meeting today?" Natsuki asked, looking around. The other council members were not inside.

"Yes. Since the budget event is finished, we decided that today would be our rest day."

Natsuki nodded. "Nice. No clean up duty." A lop sided grin graced her lips for a second until it turned into a stoic expression. "Say, Shizuru?"

"Hm?" Shizuru placed her tea cup down to the table and focused her attention to Natsuki.

Natsuki avoided Shizuru's gaze by looking at the ceiling and leaning her back at the chair in a lazy manner. "Why were you mad at me a day ago?"

Shizuru did not expect the question. She remained silent, taking the tea cup and sipping the content.

"Shizuru?"

"I was-" Shizuru sighed. "I thought the council punishment was a burden to you and taking much time away from Yuuki-han. So I decided to let you go." She said, giving the term 'let you go' as a double meaning.

Dark brows creased as if trying to understand what Shizuru meant. "I don't get it."

Shizuru sighs. "It's really simple Natsuki. You have exceeded the expectation of cleaning this room and add the fact you did not escape punishment." She lied. _'I wish I can just tell you I was jealous.'_

Taking the reason as valid, Natsuki did not question it further.

The room stayed silent from any conversation, Shizuru busy drinking her tea while Natsuki was fiddling with her smart phone. The silence continued until Natsuki sat up and tucked her phone back to her pocket. "Say, about tomorrow. I can pick you up at your dorm around 7:50 since the band will be performing around 8:15pm." She informed the brunette.

Then and there, Shizuru remembered her previous dilemma. She pouted knowing she needs to uphold the agreement in the contest and she does wants to meet Zertet K. meet and personally thak Zertet for the interesting fictions sent to them. "I am not sure Natsuki. It seems that the winner of the contest implied that we'll meet tomorrow evening." She informed the blunette sadly.

"Oh." Natsuki said in a tone that Shizuru is unable to decipher. "I see, well-" Natsuki stood up from her seat. "See you next week? Well if we bump into each other."

"Wait!" Shizuru placed the tea cup down and ran after Natsuki who was now heading to the door. She grabbed hold of Natsuki's left arm, which the blunette flinched a bit, and stopped her. "Natsuki wait please." She said, holding Natsuki's arm gently.

The blunette stopped but kept her back turned to Shizuru. "Yes?" her voice sounded choked.

"Can we hang out? I mean, if it's okay with you for us to go out sometime?" Shizuru plead, hoping she did not ruin a chance with Natsuki.

The blunette nodded her head. "Sure. Maybe next week we can get some green tea ice cream again."

"Ookini Natsuki." Shizuru smiled knowing that Natsuki will still be hanging out with her. she released her hold on the blunette and watched Natsuki's retreating form. Until Natsuki stopped a after ten steps and looked like she breathed heavily.

"C'mon, I'll drive you back to the dorms." Natsuki offered.

As the Fujino motto said, Shizuru took no second thoughts and dashed inside the Council room to pick up her things and clean her table. She would not pass the opportunity to ride again with Natsuki.

* * *

At Reito's dorm room, he was looking at the entries that Zertet K. passed to them. He requested to have a copy from Shizuru since he was curious to why his childhood friend loved the stories. After reading all four stories, reading the most recent one which is about the wolf girl and the huntress, his eyes went wide open.

"This is…" he mumbled and took out this smart phone and checked the music player. When he found the certain song he was searching for, he let it play and checked the entries made by Zertet.

One after another, Reito changed the music that he was listening to while reading the entries. He noticed a pattern when reading them that is connected to the music itself. Rereading stories and listening to the music, he realized where the entire pattern leads to.

"These interpretations… I know who you are now, Zertet K." he smiled, shaking his head in amusement of his discovery.

* * *

(1): music title: Mirror, Mirror. RWBY song for Weiss Schnee.

**A/N:** soooo how was it? did any of you expect about Reito's true feelings? XD I am pleased to announce that this will be the second to the last chapter.. Next will be the last one and I need a few more time to complete it. More like one day extension, so after 4 days I will post it. So until then, hope you guys enjoy reading my update and rereading the other chapters (I do that a lot).

Just a hint, Zertet K. was mentioned last chapter. A hint of who Zertet K. that is.


	8. VIII: It's Only a Fairytale

**A/N:** Hi! finally an update eh? :3 This was completed last two days ago but had to give it to my special someone before I can upload it. GF perks, what can i say? :D So anyway, without further ado, here's the update for Read Me.

* * *

**It's Only a Fairytale:**

Saturday afternoon, Shizuru took her time to prepare in meeting the mysterious 'Zertet K.'. She felt bad declining an opportunity to be with Natsuki but she has to uphold the contest mechanics. And she needs to thank Zertet for the stories passed to them.

Strolling along the mall to pass the time, she passed by a few clothing stores and found a few notable clothing she wouldn't mind buying. She continues to window shop until she stopped by a wedding goods store. There she saw a woman; hair color resembled a flaring crimson ruby, looking at a glamorous wedding dress.

The dress the woman was looking at is western themed. A slim type dress, body fitting she noted, with a v-shaped neckline and studded with Swarovski crystals. It was glamorous even in its simplicity and Shizuru couldn't help but stare at it as well.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" the woman with flaring ruby colored hair said.

Shizuru couldn't help but to agree and she smiled at the woman who spoke to her. "Indeed."

The woman smiled back and touched the glass window. "My daughter picked this dress for my wedding you know. She even paid for it, along with my fiancée's eldest daughter. Both of them argue a lot but when it comes down to me and my fiancée, they work far better than blood siblings."

"Oh! Wow! Your daughter is so kind." Shizuru said.

"I know. And supportive as well. She agreed to let me marry my childhood friend after reuniting with her." the woman stated. She turned to look at Shizuru and the brunette saw the facial features of the woman. She has bright blue eyes and Shizuru can't decide if the woman is in her thirties, forties or in her twenties.

"Her?" Shizuru tilted her head a bit, confused with the use of pronouns. Then she realized what the woman meant. "Oh! Congratulations!" she said in a happy tone.

"Ahh thank you miss." The woman said, smiling genuinely. "By the way, I'm Ren." She said, offering her hand to Shizuru.

Shizuru took the offered hand and shook it gently. "Nice to meet you too Ren-han. I'm Shizuru Fujino."

Ren smiled wider with a mysterious twinkle in her eyes. "Oh it's a pleasure to finally meet you as Shizuru-san." She looked down on her watched and shook her head. "Ah I guess I need to go now. My fiancée can be a bit cranky with schedules." She said and slightly bowed her head. "See you at the wedding Shizuru-san." She said cryptically and walked away.

Shizuru blinked in confusion. "Ara?" she watched the fleeting figure of Ren and another woman with dark colored hair. Somehow she felt that she recognizes the other woman. "Strange, that woman reminds me of Natsuki."

As she strolled along the mall, she felt her phone vibrate from her purse and took it out to answer the caller. She read the caller ID and has to smile a bit. It was her mother.

"Hello mama. How can I be your toy today?" she joked, earning her a whine from the caller.

"Shi-chan! Don't tease. I just called because I need to tell you that we'll be attending a wedding next week. We being me, your papa and you." Said Shizuru's mother, Shimera Fujino, with a thick accented tone.

Shizuru tilted her head a bit. She wondered why she is encountering the topic of marriage the past few days. "Wedding? Of whom mama?" she asked curiously.

"Oh it's the wife of your father's deceased friend. You never met him and his family because they stayed in America until four years ago. You know, that medical group called Searrs? The wife of your father's deceased friend came back here in Japan and your father wanted to celebrate her new nuptial and hoped for a business deal agai." Informed Shimera.

Shizuru nodded, understanding the situation. "I see. Very well then mama. I'll be home next week Saturday." She told her mother.

"Good! Don't forget to bring a date alright? I strongly prefer that blue-haired lady in the picture you keep under your pillow. Bye Shi-chan!" Her mother said cheerfully and ended the call after bidding her goodbye.

Shizuru blinked a few times. "Ara? How did mom found out about that picture…" she mused, staring at the blank screen of her phone. Then a grin slowly crept up to her face. "Great opportunity to have my Natsuki. Fufufu."

* * *

Evening came fast and Shizuru was getting ready to go to Linden Baum. She was having second thoughts of meeting Zertet since she was supposed to be with Natsuki. Pouting, she did not make any effort to dress up and picked up some random clothes. She dressed herself in white fitting long-sleeved polo and overlaid it with a brown coat, black fitted pants and a pair of black sneakers.

"Well I guess this would do. I don't want to be overly dressed." Shizuru mumbled, looking at herself to the mirror. She looked at the wall clock and sighed deeply. "How I wish the meet-up date was set for another time." Shaking the regret away, she decided to go to Linden Baum and meet up with the person called Zertet K.

* * *

Linden Baum is a local cake restaurant a bus ride away from Fuuka Academy dorm. Shizuru visited the said place once and she has noted that their green tea croissant is one of her favorites. When she arrived at the said restaurant, she was surprised for the changes in the restaurant layout. The tables where pushed at a U-shaped layout and a small platform was placed at the middle end of the restaurant. On top of the stage are musical instruments like drums, guitars and a keyboard.

Shizuru stepped inside the restaurant and she was welcomed by Midori Suigara, the Fuuka Academy history teacher, dressed in the restaurant uniform. Midori, sporting an aurburn colored hair that is tied up in a high ponytail and two locks of hair framing her face, greeted Shizuru in a cheery manner.

"Good evening to Linden Baum! Today we have the Saturday event!" Midori said enthusiastically.

Shizuru giggled at Midori's welcome. She is amazed at how the history teacher's energy can be compared to an energizer bunny. "Good evening too Suigara-sensei. I didn't know you work here."

Midori's face brightened up and grabbed hold of Shizuru's hands. "OH! Shi-chan! Welcome, welcome! Are you here to watch the band?" she asked with a wide grin.

"Ara? Band?"

"Yeps!" Midori then tilted her head. "Wait, you didn't come here for the band playing tonight?" Shizuru nodded her head. "Ohhh, well, you are in luck! You are going to witness a great band tonight! Come inside!" Midori said, pulling Shizuru inside.

Shizuru was led by the energetic teacher to a table in front of the stage. She was pushed to a booth and Midori handed her the menu.

"So what'cha havin tonight?" Midori asked, taking out a pen and paper pad from the pocket of her apron.

"Uhm, actually I'm looking for someone." Shizuru said, holding the menu and looking at Midori.

The waitress let down her pad and pen and gave Shizuru a quizzical look. "Huh? Uh okay. Who are you waiting for Shi-chan? Is it Kanzaki-san?" Midori questioned.

Shizuru shook her head. "I am looking for Zertet K. If he/she is here that is."

Midori scrunched her brows for a minute before suddenly grinning. She tucked her pad and pen inside her pocket and clasped her hands behind her head. "Oh looking for her eh. So you're the one that she's been dying to spend time with." She grinned mischievously. "Alright then, everything's been requested for you so I'll bring you your food and drink for tonight. This 'Zertet' will be with you after the first gig." She informed Shizuru and walked away while chuckling.

Shizuru found it strange. She assumed that with Midori saying Zertet K.'s name with familiarity, the self-proclaimed seventeen years old knows who Zertet is. And by the use of 'her', she can now assume Zertet is a woman. _'At least it won't be hard to talk to Zertet-han.'_ She mused.

After a good five minutes, one of the restaurant waitress brought Shizuru a tray of steaming tea in a mug and a plate of green tea croissant. Shizuru looked up to thank the waitress and was surprised to see Mai Tokiha, wearing the same uniform as Midori.

"Here you go kaichou." Mai said in a cheerful manner. "Don't worry all of this and tea refill are free. Someone paid for it already so just sit back and relax."

Shizuru felt like the whole thing was a set up. Everything since telling Midori that she was waiting for Zertet K. She wondered who she was to gain the cooperation of Mai Tokiha and Midori Suigara. "Ookini Tokiha-han." She said, taking the mug from the table and staring at the content. She took in the aroma that the tea is emitting and smiled.

"No problem kaichou." Mai said with a smile. She turned around and pointed the stage. "Look, they're starting."

Shizuru, placing the mug down to the table, looked at where Mai was pointing at. She saw four women on the stage with their backs turned to the audience. They were setting up their instruments and not a minute later, they all turned around, three out of four have wide smiles on their faces. She noted the setup of the said band.

At the left of the stage, stood a woman wearing a black vest over a white dress shirt with a white kerchief, black dress pants trimmed with gold, a navy blue ballroom tail coat trimmed with gold and a long black boots. Such wardrobe fitted her body at the right places, showing her feminine curves. The said woman has a long black hair and donning a mask of a wolf, covering half of her face. She carried a guitar that Shizuru noted as an electric guitar.

Beside the wolf-masked woman is a red haired woman dressed in a black vest over a white button up-shirt with a black kerchief, midnight colored dress pants, black colored tail coat trimmed with white and long black boots. She carried another guitar, less strings than the one with a wolf mask and donned white mask studded with ruby-like stones. She grinned mischievously like a cat as she held on to her guitar.

Behind the dark haired woman is the drummer of the group. Shizuru noted how the said drummer, seated behind the set of drums, wore a blue sleeveless vest trimmed with gold over a white long-sleeved shirt and a red long scarf pinned at the left sleeved. She has a raven colored hair with braids hanging from the side of her head that swayed from every movement she did and the mask of a dragon hid her upper face.

Beside the said drummer is a woman that Shizuru noted as a charmer, due to her grin that rivals Reito's own. The said woman, standing behind a keyboard with a Korg label at the left side and a design of a golden flower, wore a blue vest with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, dark beige pants, brown bucket-top boots. Her greyish-black hair was styled in a brushback manner and her face, like the others, donned a white mask with a golden petals design.

Shizuru noted how they stood regally on the stage despite posing as a band.

Mai turned to Shizuru and winked at her. "Watch their performance kaichou, they are the best band here in Fuuka." She said before walking away.

The brunette watched the four women on stage, noting how their clothes look like they are from some fairytale book. Thinking of the comparison of their outfit to the fairytale princes, she realized that the band on the stage is the band that Natsuki told her about. The Fairytales band.

"Good evening everyone and welcome to LB! We are your sexy and beautifully handsome band, Fairytales!" the redhead greeted, bowing a bit to the audience. The audience cheered for the band name, making the redhead grin at them. "Thank you for the cheer and please do not make our band name fool you, we do not play any Disney songs unless requested. For a price." She winked at everyone who just laughed. "We seem to have new customers here and it would be fair to introduce ourselves." She then performed a few bass guitar solo that earned her the cheers from the audience. "Ha! I play the bass guitar of the group. D' name's Hunter." She introduced herself and then stepped aside to give the keyboardist a good view to the audience.

Collective cheers filled the restaurant when the greyish-black haired woman pressed a few keys on her piano and grinned at them.

"We have here is the charming Rider. Rider, kindly give them a few words." Hunter said with a grin.

Rider nodded her head and leaned forward to the mic. "I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say... Hi. How ya doin'?"**(1)** she said in a charming tone and silly grin. Some women among the audience declared their love to her while the others sighed dreamily.

Shizuru on the other hand, found the said line as a Reito-ish line or among the charms of Chie Harada. She giggled at how the antics of the said keyboardist is reminded her of the two charmers in Fuuka.

"Sorry ladies but dear Rider is taken already." Hunter said with an impish grin. "Now as for our dear energetic drummer, here to give us again a wonderful performance, Yuki!" The said drummed smiled toothily and did a few drum solo and skillfully twirled her drumsticks. "Also, she's already taken. So if you guys don't want '**Poisoned**' written in your tombstone, I do suggest not to even try." Hunter teased.

The audience wow-ed at the skill of Yuki with the drums and the drumstick twirling and among them, Shizuru heard Mai's voice cheering the said drummer.

Hunter then grinned proudly. With the last member to be introduced and the said redhead not yet opening her mouth to speak, the whole restaurant was filled with cheers and screams of adorations. They, minus Shizuru, shouted the last member's name like a mantra and Hunter was seen looking at the last member with her wide grin.

Shizuru noted that the last member rolled her eyes and then turned to her direction. Crimson colored eyes stared at emeralds and Shizuru's heart started to beat in a fast pace. She was lost staring at the guitarist's eyes, toning out of the loud cheers from the patrons of the restaurant. She was only snapped out of her reverie when there was a feedback from the mic of Hunter.

"As always, our dear lead guitarist has everyone as her fan." Hunter said, earning her laughter from everyone. She then pointed the head of her guitar to the lead guitarist's direction. "To give no further agony, our lead vocalist and the favorite despite of Rider's charms, Beast! Buddy care to give us a sample? This time, sing." Hunter said and grinned.

Beast huffed and pushed the guitar to her back. Taking the mic, she motioned for Rider to play her a tune she can sing at. The said keyboardist nodded her head and did what was told to her.

**Beast:** _She glanced this way,_

_I thought I saw._

_And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw._

_No it can't be._

_I'll just ignore__._

_But then she's never looked at me that way before. **(2)**_

The fans squealed at how Beast sang. How her voice was suave and soft while singing. Shizuru was sure that she too felt the urge of sighing dreamily at how Beast sang. What added the feeling was when Beast was singing, she felt that the said singer was staring straight at her. Her heart pounded when she stares at Beast's emerald eyes.

Hunter laughed. "Damn! As always, Beast can make any Disney song into her own brand of serenade. But I wonder, who is she serenading this time?" she grinned. "I wonder who is the woman that glanced at the feared Beast." Then there was a sound of Beast's guitar that caused Hunter to laugh again. "Alright then, since I have introduced everyone, our song for tonight is the continuation of the fairytale of Kruger. The last installment of Kruger's journey. To those who have heard the previous songs and watched the slides of Kruger's journey, do you think she will find happily ever after now?" she looked at everyone who replied to her question.

Yuki hit her drumsticks together and Rider began to play her keyboard, imitating the sound of a deep string instrument. Beast, securely holding her guitar and readying for her cue, tapped her left index finger over the head of her guitar.

"I wonder if does find happily ever after. But who knows right?" Hunter said, starting to strum her bass guitar. "Some fairytales don't end up in just happily ever after. There are those that must lose someone to gain their happy ending." She grinned. After Hunter said those words, they all began to play an alternative rock themed music.

Shizuru watched and listened in awe. The way they play their instruments made her breathing a bit harder due to excitement. Tea now forgotten, she focused all of her attention to the band. As she continue to listen, she wondered, if the Fairytales band was playing at Linden Baum- _'Does it mean Natsuki is here?!'_ she looked around for any sign of a blue haired woman until her crimson colored eyes laid upon a table where a blue haired woman is.

The table was by the left side of the stage. There Shizuru saw the blue haired woman along with a person she recognized as Ren and the child that is Alyssa. Alyssa was standing on her seat and doing what looked like a Mario jump. She focused on the blunette and noted how she wore silver rimmed glasses while leaning at Ren with a contented look on her face. "Ara? Natsuki?" she called out but at the same time, Beast started to sing.**(3)**

**Beast: **_I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute_

_Couldn't bear another day without you in it_

_All of the joy that I had known for all my life_

_Was stripped away from me the minute that you died_

_To have you in my life was all I ever wanted_

_But now without you I'm a soul forever haunted_

_Can't help but feel that I had taken you for granted_

_No way in Hell that I can ever comprehend this_

As the band played, Shizuru saw behind them a comic-like slide show being presented to them. There were two women, one is a bluehaired wolf-like humanoid being strangled with one hand by a woman with light brown hair and wearing a short sleeved shirt with snakes design, black fitted pants and a pair of heeled boots. The brunette held the wolf girl up to the wall with her left hand and her right hand pointed a gun under the wolf girl's chin.

**Hunter and Beast: **_I wasn't dreaming when they told me you were gone_

_I was wide awake and feeling that they had to be wrong_

_How could you leave me when you swore that you would stay?_

_Now I'm trapped inside a nightmare every single f'ing day! _

_It's like a movie but there's not a happy ending_

_Every scene fades black and there's no pretending_

_This little fairy tale doesn't seem to end well_

_There's no knight in shining armor who will wake me from the spell_

The next slide showed the two women are now in the opposite position. The wolf girl straddled the brunette to the ground, pinning her arms with one hand while the other hand cupped the brunette's chin. The wolf-girl has a grin that screamed mischief.

**Hunter, Beast and Rider:** _I know you didn't plan this_

_You tried to do what's right_

_But in the middle of this madness_

_I'm the one you left to win this fight!_

The band paused in their playing while the slide changed into a new one. The new slide showed the wolfgirl running towards the brunette who stood with her back turned at the wolf girl. There was a trail of blood from the brunette's lips. At the other end of the slide was a man with dark unruly hair, holding out a revolver pointed at the brunette.

Then next thing everyone heard was a sound of wolf howl coming from the speakers.

**Beast: Viola!**

Hunter winked and Shizuru could've sworn she winked at her. The way Beast shouted the name was heart retching, as if Beast herself was the wolfgirl and crying out for the bloodied brunette. After the brief second of pause, they continued to play with Beast singing.

**Beast: **_Red like roses_

_Fills my head with dreams and finds me_

_Always closer_

_To the emptiness and sadness_

_That has come to take the place of you!_

The last slide showed the wolf-girl kneeling in front of a grave. Her hand held a bouquet of purple roses and her left hand laid flat on a tall tombstone. Her left hand is adorned by a silver band ring with an amethyst at the middle. She was crying and yet smiling at the same time. Beneath the said drawing is a mirror one but instead of being alone, the wolf girl is surrounded by three women. One of them, dressed in a cream colored dress and her hair tied up in a bun, stood behind the wolfgirl and a hand placed on her left shoulder. Another is a woman dressed in a black corset and lying on the wolfgirl's lap. The last one is dressed in a purple slim dress and smiling at the wolf girl affectionately while both of her hands are on the wolf girl's cheeks. All of them, hair styles and clothing differ due to the time difference all sported a contented smile and crimson colored eyes.

The next slide, showing briefly to the audience, is a view of the wolf girl from behind. The drawing showed a distance from the wolf girl and a by the corner of the frame is a slim black slack with red linings. By the left side of the slacks is a hand which adorned a silver band ring with an emerald in the middle.

The band finished their song and everyone cheered. There was a standing ovation and the band members bowed before them. Shizuru clapped, appreciating the song.

Hunter, being the band spokesperson, took the mic from its stand. "After the deaths of her beloved by the passing centuries, with the intervention and the manipulation of the Obsidian prince, do you think that Kruger finally found her happily ever after? After meeting different incarnations of her beloved, do you guys think this is 'happily ever after' for Kruger?" she asked the audience. The audience all has different answers.

But Shizuru has something else in mind. When she heard Hunter spoke of 'Kruger' and 'Obsidian Prince', she remembered Zertet's last entry. How Kruger was accused of killing some women by Viola. "Does this mean that what they showed to us is the same story as Kruger and Viola that Zertet-han wrote?" she questioned, being familiar with the story. "The encounter between Kruger and Viola?"

There as some feedback from Beast's equipment and Shizuru saw how the lead guitarist left the stage. Shizuru watched how Hunter chuckled and switched her instrument from bass to Beast's guitar. "Well, Beast has other arrangements so I'll be filling in for her."

* * *

With the band playing without Beast, Shizuru turned back to calling out the person she think is Natsuki.

"Hi miss." Someone called Shizuru's attention. Shizuru looked up; her attempt to call the blunette halted to her dismay, and saw a guy smiling at her. By normal standards, the guy is attractive but in Shizuru's standards, he is just another guy trying their luck to her. She mentally sighs and put up a smiling façade.

"Hello to you too." Shizuru greeted.

The guy, blonde and indeed attractive, looked at Shizuru with a worried expression. "I'm Mike and let me ask you, are you hurt?" he asked. His worried expression now gone and replaced by a charming grin directed towards the confused brunette.

"Ara? I'm sorry?"

The blonde guy leaned forward to Shizuru and touched her shoulder. "When you fell from heaven." He added, winking at the brunette.

Shizuru stopped herself from rolling her eyes as initial reaction of her body from the pick-up line from the blonde man. Wanting nothing to do with the blonde, she readied her rejection towards his approach and hoped he would give up.

"Oh don't worry, she didn't. I made sure that when I kidnapped her from the gates of heaven, I held her like the princess she is on the way back to my world." Someone said in a tone that screams annoyance.

The brunette turned to the person who spoke in a threatening manner towards the blonde guy and found Beast, standing behind him. The said guitarist was glaring at the blonde, emerald eyes burning as if she was enraged.

"A-ara? Beast-han?" Shizuru said, unsure to why Beast was there.

But Beast ignored Shizuru and a low growl sounded from her throat. The blonde guy turned around and froze on the spot when he saw the angered looking Beast. Emerald eyes glared at the hand of the blonde guy that is currently touching Shizuru's shoulder.

"HANDS OFF." Beast commanded which the blonde guy immediately complied and pulled away his hand from Shiruzu. "GOOD. NOW GO AWAY !" she ordered, making the guy scamper away. Beast then turned to the puzzled looking brunette. "What are you doing here Shizuru?" she asked.

Shizuru couldn't comprehend what was happening. A few seconds ago someone was flirting with her, now the said flirt left like he saw a giant wolf and before her was Beast calling out her name casually. She tilted her head, confused to why Beast was calling to her with familiarity, and stared at her.

Beast huffed and crossed her arms. "Why are you looking at me that-" she paused then her right hand reached up to her face, touching the mask. "Oh! Wait right here." She said before bolting away towards the kitchen area of the restaurant.

Beast left Shizuru and the brunette was baffled. After a few minutes, drinking her second mug of tea, she heard Beast call out to her again.

"Shizuru?"

Shizuru looked up and almost choked on her tea. Instead of the masked princess-like singer, she was now seeing the blunette striker of the Fuuka HiME Rangers. Before her a confused looking Natsuki is sitting where Zertet supposed to be. Natsuki is now out of her previous regal vest clothing and, since the only visible to her view, wearing the white long-sleeved polo and the white kerchief loosely hanging from her collar.

"N-Natsuki?!" She called out in shock.

Natsuki nodded her head. "Yeah. Don't ask about the 'Beast' thing. Nao's idea." She said, rolling her eyes. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you had somewhere else to be?" she asked with her brows knitted together.

The brunette was confused. There are a lot of questions being formulated in her head and the biggest questions are why Natsuki was in Linden Baum and why was she singing on the stage and wearing a mask/costume. She had taken note that her voice is something she'll never get tired to listen to. She can listen to Natsuki sing to her all day.

"Uh Shizuru? Hello? You are spacing out again and you're creeping me out." Natsuki stated, waving her hand in front of Shizuru's face.

The brunette snapped out of her daydream and found a waving Natsuki with an unreadable expression on her face. She has to inwardly congratulate Natsuki for once again catching her off guard. "Ara! Apologies for that Natsuki. Well to answer your question, I am here to meet up with the winner of the fiction contest." She told the blunette.

Natsuki nodded her head. "Ah yeah that." She said in a tone that Shizuru can recognize as an embarrass one. "So did she show up yet? Since, ya'know, you two were supposed to meet up thirty minutes ago." she asked, averting her gaze from Shizuru.

Now this piqued Shizuru's interest. She never mentioned to Natsuki that Zertet K. is a girl since she just found it out when she arrived and she never told Natsuki that the meeting time is 8:00pm. She stared at Natsuki's embarrass state and let her mind formulate on the possibilities. "No she hasn't shown herself to me yet. But, you are amusing Natsuki." she said, smile tugging up her lips.

"What do you mean?" Shizuru can see that there were beads of sweat forming on Natsuki's forehead.

Shizuru took her refilled mug and raised it up, a few inches below her nose. She smelled the aroma and hid her smile behind the mug. "Oh nothing really. Say Natsuki, did Hunter try to pull Viola away from Kruger? Like what his ancestors did with Kiyohime, Kiyo and Amethyst?" she asked, eyeing Natsuki carefully for her answer.

Natsuki merely frowned and crossed her arms. "I hope not! Viola deserves someone better than that hunter Rei. Really, the story should end with Kruger finally having her princess just because she isn't some lame prince charming. With the past lovers all dying coz of that damn toothy prince, Kruger needs to be loved. Kruger is a badass character and set up to be a charmer to the bloodline of Kiyohime." She stated defensively. She has a pout etched on her face as she huffed loudly after stating her view on Kruger's story. Then slowly, her facial expression changed from annoyed to surprise. "You-"

"Good evening to you Zertet K." Shizuru said casually, placing the mud down and smiled at Natsuki who was stunned shocked at her greeting. She felt elated knowing that Natsuki is Zertet. No words can explain her happiness but she has to rein the said feelings in.

"W-who? Hahaha." Natsuki let out a pathetic laugh and avoid making eye contact with Shizuru. "I-uh, dunno who you are calling as Zertet." She said; sweat now running down the side of her head.

Shizuru still smiled at Natsuki who kept avoiding her gaze. She found it amusing to watch how Natsuki desperately avoided her stare and deny that she is Zertet K. She already figured the whole moniker of the writer and the way Natsuki denied it made her giggle in amusement.

Natsuki took a deep breath and faced Shizuru with a pout. "Okay fine, let's say I'm Zertet K. Tell me how can that be me since there's nothing here that screams 'Zertet K.' over my body." She challenged.

This made Shizuru smirk. The whole moniker was easy to figure out when the Fairytales band sang their previous song and when Hunter, which she can assume is Nao Yuuki, asked the audience regarding Kruger, her assumption is now correct. "Ara, it's fairly simple really once all the pieces are together." She took out her smart phone from her pocket and clicked on the notes widget. Typing in Zertet K, Shizuru was smiling as Natsuki leaned forward to the small device that was placed on the table. She noted how Natsuki's hair smelled minty and refreshing.

"Hey we have the same phone!" Natsuki pointed out childishly. "But writing that name still doesn't explain why you assume I'm Zertet."

"In honesty, this comes in a later part. And yes, we do have the same unit model of smart phone." Shizuru said, giggling at how Natsuki acted cutely when she pointed out her phone. "I never would've thought you were Zertet or figured out this penname if not for Natsuki's slip when she asked about Zertet."

"What? What did I say?"

"You said 'her' in referring to Zertet K."

Natsuki's frown deepens as if comprehending Shizuru's logic. "I don't get it. It's plainly obvious that those four stories were written by a girl."

Shizuru giggled again. "That's another proof Natsuki. Only Rei-kun knows how many stories Zertet-han gave me. So for you knowing the exact number is an added proof." She pointed out.

Natsuki leaned back to her seat and looked like she's trying her best to relax. "Lucky guess."

"Lucky indeed, if that were true. I would like to add that there's the fact that Zertet K. is an anagram." Shizuru said, tracing her finger above the screen of her smart phone and started rewriting the letters under the name 'Zertet K' until she formed a non-English word. What proved her theory is Natsuki's reaction to what she wrote. "Aside from one, there aren't many possible names using the letters Zertet-han used due to the 'Z' in the whole set up. So by rearranging the letters' positions, I came across certain Spanish term of a number I am familiar with." She showed the rearranged word to Natsuki and the blunette stayed silent. "The number _Tretze_, a Catalan name of the number thirteen. As I recall, the signature move of the Fuuka HiME Rangers striker is called 'Thirteen K' which stands for Number thirteen, and the K stands for Kuga." She grinned when Natsuki sighed in defeated and raised both of her hands in surrender.

A lazy grin is plastered on Natsuki's face as she showed a surrender gesture to the brunette. "Fine you got me. I'm Zertet K, well the real penname is Tretze K." she said with a deep sigh. She put her arms downs and leaned back again to her chair. "If you must know, the whole entering my stories weren't my idea. I just found the spider rummaging my binder and passed two of my works without permission and jumbled my penname to Zertet to avoid being detected by you." She explained.

A waitress passed by and Natsuki called for her attention. Shizuru watched how the blunette ordered for a glass of cola and a slice of coffee cake. The waitress, Shizuru assumed as Natsuki's fan, smiled at her and leaned forward to whisper something to the blunette. Her eyes glued on what reaction Natsuki would take. After a second, she saw Natsuki shaking her head and pointing at her.

"Sorry, but I'm with her." Natsuki said, pointing at Shizuru. The waitress stood straight up and turned to assess Shizuru only to end up fawning over the brunette. She was about to flirt with the Fuuka Academy kaichou when Natsuki cleared her throat. "Better not even try." She growled, glaring at the waitress coldly. As if the temperature went down to zero degrees, the waitress walked away hurriedly when her eyes lay upon the threatening glare of Natsuki.

Shizuru found it amusing and endearing at the same time. When she and Reito are hanging around public places, both of them get the same attention. But unlike Natsuki, Reito entertains their fans and even throw some her way. Natsuki really is something she finds as a rare gem.

"So as I was saying, only my friends knows about the whole Zertet K thing and Yukino found out after that Kanzaki started snooping around about it." Natsuki informed Shizuru. "You should've seen how Chie was jealous of Yukino figuring the whole thing out after the second entry just by reading 'Zertet K'." She grinned.

Shizuru feign a pout after hearing that Yukino found out who Zertet is before her. "Ikezu. Natsuki have let other women know she is the writer that brought smiles to my face whenever I read them before me." She covered her eyes and faked a few sobs.

"What? No-no! I'm a victim as well. That stupid Nao took my work and submitted to your dumb contest without telling me." Natsuki grumbled. She crossed her arms and huffed loudly. "The club doesn't even need new funds."

"B-but still. *sob* Natsuki didn't tell me she is Zertet. *sob* she made me make a very painful decision in meeting Zertet instead of being with Natsuki." she cried. More like faked her cries. She can count with only an imaginary hand that after three seconds, Natsuki would panic and calm her down.

One.

Two.

"Why the hell are you making a woman cry, Na-chan?" a voice, rasped and commanding said that made Shizuru stopped her sobbing and for Natsuki to squeal girlishly in fear.

Shizuru removed her hands that covered her face and looked up to the person who reprimanded Natsuki and was a bit surprised to see an identical twin of Natsuki. Long blue hued hair, striking emerald colored eyes, even the glare is in par with Natsuki's. The only difference is the mature aura of the said woman and the silver rimmed glasses she wore.

"Well?" the Natsuki-lookalike asked with right brow raised.

Shizuru saw how Natsuki visibly paled. The younger blunette kept avoiding the stern gaze of the older one and Shizuru found it quite interesting to watch.

"Aren't you going to say anything Na-chan?" the older blunette asked. Then she turned to Shizuru and impishly grinned. "Maybe I should ask this pretty lady that you are having a date with" she sounded unsure on how to label Shizuru. "Did this idiotic child hurt you in anyway?"

"Ara?" Shizuru squeaked when she was suddenly the one that the look-alike was talking to. She slowly shook her head. "I assure you that Natsuki did no such thing. Please do not get mad at her." She told the older blunette.

The older blunette hummed for a second and "Really now?" A hand was placed on top of Shizuru's left shoulder. "Dear you can tell me the truth if this brat is bullying you. As charming she can be, it's fine to rat her out if she is bullying you." She asked, looking gently at the brunette.

Crimson eyes looked up to emeralds. Shizuru stared at how gentle the older blunette was looking at her. How she can feel a warm and familiar feeling when looking at those eyes. A certain blue eyed Kyoto-born woman she is most familiar with. A nostalgic feeling. _'This woman, she reminds me of…'_ her train of thoughts was cut short when she realized who the said person could be.

"Stop scaring the child Sae-chan. And You Nat-chan, you know better than to make Shizuru cry." Someone said in a reprimanding tone. Shizuru recognized the voice but cannot pinpoint who owns it. "Unless you want another failed matchmaking that is, then we'll never have any granbabies." The new comer spoke dryly.

Shizuru looked at the new comer and found Ren with Alyssa in her arms. "Ara, Ren-han? Alyssa-chan?"

Ren smiled at Shizuru while Alyssa waved at her. Shizuru smiled at them and waved back.

_'This night is getting stranger and stranger by the minute.'_ Shizuru thought, wondering why Ren was with Alyssa. Though she noted the mischievous twinkle in Ren's eyes and she felt like those twinkle are very much familiar to her.

Natsuki grumbled loudly and slammed both her hands on the table. "Ah! Why are you all here at this booth?!" she questioned.

Ren rolled her eyes and adjusted her hold on Alyssa. "Retrieving my soon-to-be wife. And the fact that Nao is giving a pathetic attempt to signal you back to the stage." She informed the younger blunette. Blue eyes then glared at the older blunette. "As for you Saeko, stop playing bully with your daughter."

The older blunette named Saeko pouted and crossed her arms. "But! Na-chan's harassing tis beautiful girl! Heck! I'm not even sure how she managed to talk to someone beautiful like her."

Ren sighed loudly. "Fine, fine. Let's just transfer here if you are oh so curious with the 'mysterious lady' that Natsuki's been-"

Ren's words were stopped by Natsuki's hand. It seems while they were chatting, Natsuki was able to rush to Ren and cover her mouth. "Auntie! Why not you and Alyssa help me back to my costume, yes?" she suggested, turning Ren's body around and pushing her towards the back area of the restaurant.

Saeko merely smirked and sat down on the same spot where Natsuki were. Propping up her left arm and resting her chin ontop of her knuckles, she stared at Shizuru. Her eyes traced every outline of Shizuru's face and her emotions as the brunette watched the fleeting figure of Natsuki.

"You like her." Saeko spoke out.

Shizuru unconsciously nodded.

"My eldest daughter I mean."

Shizuru then froze. Her previous deduction that the blunette was related to Natsuki has been confirmed and the confirmation is something she's not ready. Inhaling a lungful of air, she turned her attention to Saeko. With fate not giving her any escape, she finally faced the fact she is going to talk to Natsuki's mother. _'Well time to meet the parent I guess.' _Smiling, she bowed her head a bit and greeted the older woman. "Good evening to you Kuga-han. My name is Shizuru Fujino, a pleasure to meet the mother of Natsuki." She said politely.

Saeko smirked. "Polite, I like that." She noted. Sitting up straight, she offered a handshake to Shizuru. "Saeko Kuga-Searrs. Well, the Searrs will be replaced by Ren's name after a week that is." She informed the brunette. "That bumbling Na-chan and Alyssa-chan's mother."

Shizuru scrunched up her brows. She has heard the name 'Searrs' before but she couldn't remember where. She pondered where she had heard the name Searrs. Brushing it aside, she offered the blunette if she can order her a cup of tea or any beverage she wanted. But the blunette declined, saying she already had enough liquids for the day. With being reprimanded by the older woman to stop calling her 'Kuga-han' and just refer to her as Saeko.

"Ahem!" Speakers blared out the voice of Hunter and everyone, even Saeko and Shizuru, all turned their attention to the stage.

On the stage, Beast or also known as Natsuki, is back to her costume and already joined the group with her guitar in hand, while Shizuru was now joined by Ren and Alyssa. The blonde child was sitting on the small space before Shizuru and the couple was snuggled comfortably on the other side of the booth.

A grin was etched on the visible portion of Hunter's mask. "In every story, there will always be a beginning and an ending." She looked around the audience and sighed deeply while maintaining her grin. "The four of us started playing here in LB because we wanted to grant a special couple in our hearts their fairytale. But as always, every story needs an end. Whether it would be a happily ever after-" Hunter looked at the soon-to-be wed couple. "Or another sequel to a rough ending." Lime eyes stared at crimson. She grinned and winked at Shizuru. "But nonetheless, be it a bad ending, good ending or a perfect ending, all that matters is that the characters will decide on what they want."

The speakers slowly played the sound of piano and the audience turned to Rider. The pianist has her eyes closed and a gentle smile is plastered on her face. The drummer softly drummed along the tune that the pianist was playing.

"This is the final chapter of Fairytales. We are happy you all have been listening us our story and for now, the story will finally reached an ending." Hunter said solemnly. "The Fairytales will give you our final song, a Disney song if I may say, as per the request of the cutest child I know." She then held the mic gently and let the music flow. **(4)**

**Hunter:** Tale as old as time  
True as it can be  
Barely even friends  
Then somebody bends  
Unexpectedly.

Natsuki, or Beast as she was called by the band, slowly took the mic and leaned forward to it. Shizuru could feel those emerald eyes staring at her. She opened her mouth and let the words flow freely.

**Beast:** _Just a little change_

_Small to say the least_

_Both a little scared_

_Neither one prepared_

_Beauty and the beast._

**Rider: **Ever_ just the same_

_Ever a surprise_

_Ever as before_

_Ever just as sure_

_As the sun will rise_

**Hunter: **_Tale as old as time_

_Song as old as rhyme_

_Bitter sweet and strange_

_Finding you can change_

_Learning you were wrong,_

While Hunter, presumably Nao, and Natsuki are singing, Shizuru was staring at Natsuki with a dreamy look. Sure she fell for Natsuki's outer beauty and the fact she's a very unique student. Doesn't go by the rules, doesn't care what others think of her, protective over her friends. Then she saw how Nao was smiling over Natsuki and the jealousy over the redhead.

"They look cute, right?" Ren asked, smiling as she watched Nao and Natsuki singing together.

Shizuru couldn't answer. Sure the way they are singing are perfect and the way they look at each other gives off a vibe of a perfect couple. She wanted to agree to what to Ren said but her heart decided against it. She shrugged.

"Dear, don't make the girl jealous." Saeko said, flicking the ear of Ren. The redhaired woman whined and rubbed the sore ear. "Ignore her Shizuru. Ren loves to tease people."

"I do not! Admit it Sae-chan, Nao and Natsuki's can be a great couple." Ren squealed. "Am I right Shizuru?"

Shizuru's brow twitched. "I-"

"Noh! Nao-Nao said Suki-nee wikes zuwu!" Alyssa chirped in, smiling brightly, pointing at Shizuru. She looked up, bright blue eyes looking straight at crimson ones. "Does Zuwu wikes Suki-nee?" the child asks, eyes gleaming of hope.

Ren grinned like a mischievous cat and pushed herself up. Saeko frowned from the lack of closeness from Ren. "Ohh! I wanna know too. Does Shizuru likes Natsuki?" she inquired eagerly.

Shizuru now felt like she's a fly in a middle of a hungry black widow. The inquisitive look that Ren was giving her gives her the feeling that she's a prey. But the older redhead's anticipating look is something Shizuru cannot answer. _'Sometimes it is a pain in being polite.' _She sighs. "Like is a vague word Ren-han." She told the redhead that made her grin wider and for Saeko's right brow too rise.

"Pft! Hear that mutt? Told 'ya that prim-and-proper kaichou have the hots for you."

Crimson, emerald, marine and topaz hued eyes all turned to the new comers of the booth.

Nao Yuuki, dressed in her costume but now coatless and mask being held by her left hand. Beside the redhead is Natsuki, frowning at them and arms crossed over her chest.

"Heya Fujino, did you like the mutt's stories?" Nao asked, grinning madly. Before Shizuru could answer, she raised her hand, halting the words that Shizuru would say. "Wait, wait, and wait. Before you answer that, you should consider that I almost lost a limb just to even start passing those typed-up stories. And add the fact that I had to convince this idiotic Natsuki to agree and pass the written ones as well." She grinned widely, resembling a cat that was caught red-handed in stealing food from the table.

"Please don't answer that and ignore Nao. All the cheers earlier blinded and made her deaf." Natsuki interjected tiredly. She patted Alyssa, which the blonde child smiled and jumped off the chair and moved to Ren's side, and Natsuki plopped down beside Shizuru. Not minding the small space they have, Natsuki shoved her head down to the table. "I'm tired! Stupid spider catering to too many songs." she said, voice muffled from being slumped down on the table.

Shizuru was plain startled at how Natsuki just blindly sat down beside her. Barely an inch of distance and to brush her right hand over Shizuru's left thigh, the brunette couldn't understand what was happening. _'Ara, ara. Tonight is really a crazy night.'_ She looked down on the blunette whose hair is tilted sideways, creating a sea of midnight-hued hair on the table.

Nao grabbed an empty chair from the other table and sat on it, positioning her seat in the middle of the U-shaped booth. "Oh suck it up mutt! Why not snuggle up close to Fujino over there so that your whining will stop." She taunted.

"Nao, please stop taunting Natsuki. We don't want you two arguing on who's sleeping inside your rooms again tonight." Saeko said tiredly.

Ren rolled her eyes and snickered. "Please Sae-chan. Seeing how Natsuki over here is ignoring this idiotic Nao's taunts means that Shizuru over there is a sedative." She informed her soon-to-be wife.

Nao's red brows furrowed and she glared at Ren. "Don't call me an idiot. Natsuki over here is the idiot." She pointed an accusing finger over the slumped down Natsuki.

"Really? Tell me again who was it that first thought of first aid when Natsuki over here broke her arm when you kicked the ball too hard is snapping the bones back together instead of running to the infirmatry?" Ren inquired. Her tone seeped off challenge on the younger redhead. "Her bone literally broke! Upper half ripped the flesh open and some stupid redhead freaked out and yelled 'oh god! Oh god! Mom's gonna kill me! Quick snap those bones together! They won't notice!' all over her teammates?" she sighs. "I have been dating Saeko by that time and you didn't listen to her first aid 101."

Nao's face now resembled the color of a freshly ripen tomato and the occupants of the table, minus Natsuki, laughed at her reaction. "No one is sane enough to keep calm with that!" she turned her glare at the girlish giggle of Shizuru. "Ha, ha! Laugh all you want Fujino but when they showed you Natsuki's open fracture pictures let's see on how you can deal with-OW! What the fu-OW! Natsuki!" Nao now cradled her sore right arm that Natsuki forcibly pinched.

"First is we are in a restaurant and don't want to be kicked out by Mai coz of the gory details of my old injury. Again. And second, language." Natsuki said, left eye peeking at Nao.

Nao stuck her tongue out and looked at Shizuru with a defeated face. "Fujino! Please discipline your mutt!"

Shizuru chuckled at how the family interacted. But the mentality of the two going to be married still remains and she can't intervene with that. Feeling calm and laid back due to her surroundings, she was not able to think before she replied Nao. "Ara Yuuki-han, why would I be the one doing that? Shouldn't you be disciplining Natsuki since you two are obviously good together? So as Ren-han says." She said. _'Oh god, me and my jealousy.'_

This practically stopped Nao from laughing and for Natsuki to shot up and looked at Shizuru like she's seen a ghost. Ren laughed louder, Alyssa was frowning and Saeko was watching intensively at the three teens.

"What did you say Fujino?" Nao asked in a grim tone. Her face was blank of emotion as she looked at the confused looking Shizuru.

The younger blunette has a face that resembled a victim of a horror movie as she faced Shizuru. "Please don't tell me my nightmare came true!" she said, left hand shot to her chest and crumpled her white shirt. "Nightmares! Nightmares I tell you!" she declared, making Saeko shake her head in dismay.

"I was expecting that from Nao and not from my daughter." The older blunette said, embarrassed at how Natsuki acted.

The brunette was lost. Somehow, she got a feeling that what she noticed as a romantic closeness of Natsuki and Nao are not what it seemed to be. By the expression of the people around her, the assumption of Nao and Natsuki being together are false by seventy-five percent. "Did I say something wrong?"

"More like all of it!" Nao shouted in annoyance. "What the hell did you tell Fujino about us?!" She glared at the younger blunette and backhanded the back of her head.

Even before Natsuki could answer, the force from Nao's backhand pushed her body and head to lean forward. Her audible yelp sounded muffled while Shizuru's suripised gasp was stopped by a pair of soft lips covering her own. Everyone around the Natsuki and Shizuru, minus Alyssa whose eyes were covered by Ren, 'ooh-ed' and grinned at the scene in front of them.

She can smell the perfume of the young blunette. It was not feminine like Haruka's perfume or masculine like Reito's. It was like a fresh breezy smell and she liked how the blunette smelled like. And the feeling of Natsuki's soft lips over her own sent electricity to her whole body. Yet no matter how much she liked the feeling, she was still surprised at the sudden predicament she's in.

Natsuki immediately pulled herself away from the kiss and ended up falling backwards from her seat. She landed on her back and wheezed out a pained groan. Her reaction earned her a taunting smirk from Nao.

"Wow, Fujino literally made you fall hard, huh mutt? Ahaha." Nao teased, laughing tauntingly at Natsuki.

Shizuru snapped out of her daze and looked down, worriedly, at Natsuki. "Ara! Are you alright Natsuki?" she asks, wondering if Natsuki hurt herself from the fall. Seeing Natsuki was alright, she looked up to Nao and tilted her head. "Was I wrong in assuming you two are going out?"

The brunette saw Nao cringed. "There are words in you sentence that didn't go well together, Fujino." The redhead said in a horrid tone. she placed both of her hands on the table and pushed herself up. "Y'know what, we'll leave the two of you alone." She announced and turned to the adults on the table, silently telling them that they should leave. When Ren and Saeko nodded, Ren taking Nina in her arms, Nao grinned. "Be sure to bring our mutt before midnight okay Fujino? We don't want her turning into a pumpkin." She laughed and ushered the adults out of the booth and to another one, far away from the two.

"Ara?"

"Oh god please don't ever say Nao and I are a great couple or even just a couple again." Natsuki said, a grimaced look plastered on her face. She now sat on the empty seat adjacent to Shizuru and drinking the contents of the cup her hand held. Her grimace was added by a contorted look as soon as she drank the contents of the cup she held.

"That's my tea." Shizuru pointed out. She already noticed how the blunette did not like what she just drank blindly. This amused her again. It was noteworthy that Natsuki would like tea if she already knows its tea that is and would be displeased at the taste if not notified. Taking the cup back, she smiled when she tasted the taste of her tea. She looked at the blunetet and saw her blushing. "Oh my, what a cute blush." She chuckled when Natsuki tensed up and shook her head in attempt of removing the reddish facial color. "Fufufu, why are you blushing Natsuki?"

Natsuki frowned and huffed. "Nothing. Anyway, I don't know what came over your head but Nao and I are not a couple. Muspelheim will be covered in ice and be called the second Niflheim before me and that spider even be close as more than siblings." She informed the brunette and stressed the parts that she and Nao can never be a couple. She glanced at the cup that Shizuru held and blushed yet again.

Shizuru felt elated at how Natsuki defended that there is no romantic relationship with Nao. She smiled and looked down on her cup, cradling it gently. "Ara, is it that impossible? Muspelheim is the realm of fire and Niflheim is the realm of ice. By those two realms, a stream is created which is called a creating stream." Her upper lip twitched at the way the mythology went. "So am I not mistaken by-"

"Oh for the love of Hel, please stop assuming." Natsuki now glared at Shizuru. Emerald eyes gleamed of irritation. "Look it's like this, that spider can be dub as Narfi and I'm Fenrir. Though we really don't get along much and nothing said about Nafi being in contact with Fenrir which differs between me and Nao. That clear? My mom, Saeko can be Loki, don't ask coz-"

Shizuru placed her cup down and reached out to the right hand of Natsuki on top of the table. She wanted to believe what Natsuki said. Her heart pounded, knowing what the blunette was explaining and couldn't help but to smile wide. She finally understood the relationship of Natsuki and Nao. "I know the myth Natsuki. No need to explain further." She knows how the story of Loki goes. How he has three children from Angrboða and one with Sigyn. There are those he fathered, such as Vali and mothered to Sleipnir, but those are other stories. "So you two are siblings? Err should I say soon-to-be siblings?" she inquired.

Hearing Shizuru knows the myth made Natsuki perk up and smiled. Shizuru could imagine two furred ears on top the blunette's head, perked up like a happy canine. "YES! I thought it would take a few more rounds of Hati and Skoll for you to realize that." She beamed a wide smile then faltered upon realizing something. "Wait, you understood my reference that easily?" Shizuru nodded. "AWESOME! I knew hanging out with you isn't boring! Those fan girls of yours sure made up stories." she laughed and grabbed her mug of cola and drank it.

Shizuru giggled at Natsuki's carefree attitude. "Fufufu, with all due respect to my fans, they don't know Norse myth is a favorite of mine. Only Rei-kun knows it and he can't understand my fascination over it since he is a fan of Japanese mythology." She informed Natsuki who flinched. She noticed the sudden movement from the blunette and wondered why she even reacted that way. Her mind reeled in the story of Kruger. How the hunter who was called as the 'Spawn of the Obsidian Prince' is named as Rei. Then it dawned to her and her lips tugged up into a teasing smirk. "Is Natsuki jealous of Rei-kun?" she asks, again a sudden flinch from the blunette was the initial reaction.

"No!" Natsuki said defensively. The blunette was sitting up straight with her arms crossed under her chest and sporting a frown and a pout. Shizuru found the pout as cute. "He should be the one jealous." Natsuki mumbled softly but loud enough for Shizuru to hear.

"Oh? How so?"

Natsuki looked around a bit and her eyes zeroed in on the table napkin by the left end of the booth which happens to be the color of lilac. Quickly grabbing it, she laid it on the table and began folding the cloth while the tip of her tongue poked out of the corner of her left lip. She began to fold it in a square shape, and again and again and pulled out the tips of the napkin. Smiling, she presented her napkin origami to Shizuru and pushed it gently to her. "Because I'm Zertet K." she said, smiling dashingly at Shizuru.

Shizuru chuckled and merely shook her head. She was unsure if Natsuki was being cocky or just stating a fact that just because she is the author of the fictions that caught her attention she is entitled for boasting rights. But cockiness or a major fact, she couldn't agree more that anyone of her suitor would be jealous of Natsuki for capturing her heart. "Yes, yes you are." She giggled again, finding Natsuki's declaration of being Zertet K as amusing yet again.

* * *

**A/N:** Wow! 10k+ words as an update! hahaha congrats to me.. But seriously, to all of you my readers, i lied. This isn't the last chapter. The next one is. It's short but my gf suggested it would be nice to cut the last part and put it in another chappie. So you can see the small next button below? good! now before that, hope you guys give me your insight on this chapter first then proceed to the next page. :D hope to hear from you guys!

Rider = Flynn Rider of Disney Tangled  
Hunter = Hunter of Little Red Riding hood  
Yuki = Snow white of the story Snow White  
Beast = Beast of Beauty and the Beast

1. Qoute from Flynn Rider of Disney's Tangled.  
2. first stanza of the song Something There from Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  
3. Red Like Roses. Song of RWBY EP 8, Players and Pieces (my fave episode)  
4. Tale as Old as Time - OST of Beauty and the Beast

Norse Mythology Reference:  
Muspelheim - One of the 9 realms in Norse myth. The realm of Fire.  
Niflheim - One of the 9 realms in Norse myth. The realm of primordial ice and cold, with nine frozen rivers and home of Hel.  
Hel (female) - Daughter of the trickster god Loki. She is the ruler of the realm with the same name, Hel, that is located in Niflheim.  
Narfi - Son of Loki. He is also called Nari and killed by his brother Vali.  
Fenrir - Wolf son of Loki. Foretold to be the one the god Odin during the events of Ragnarök, but will in turn be killed by Odin's son Víðarr.  
Loki - a god and considered as Thor's brother and Odin's adopted son.  
Angrboða - Mother of Hel, Fenrir and Jörmungandr.  
Sigyn - mother of Narfi.  
Vali - Loki's son.  
Sleipnir - the horse child of Loki and considered as Odin's steed.  
Hati - Wolf that chases the Moon across the night sky.  
Skoll - Wolf that chases the Sun across the morning sky.


	9. IX: Read Me

**A/N:** AHHH! Finally, the last chapter of the story. I am really happy that you guys gave time to read and hopefully you enjoy reading this. I love all my works and I must say, this is my favorite of the month. :) This is kinda an epilogue kind of thing. Just a small addition to end the story. So please, grab your tablets, open your pc/laptop or just your mobile phones. Read Me last chapter is up for reading. :)

* * *

**Read Me:**

A week has passed since the event in Linden Baum. Natsuki informed the council that the prize fund should be given to the Culinary club due to a certain baking accident she was involved with before. Haruka practically shouted her ears off for putting the school at risk of a huge fire coz of her cooking/baking. The blunette defended that no one was hurt or nothing was burned except for the oven that broke down after putting firewood inside it. After that, Mai demanded her to fix the electric stove that Natsuki broke due to using firewood.

Shizuru on the other hand was having fun with the joint table of the council and Natsuki's group. Nao literally shouted to her that she and Natsuki are just close siblings and not lovers or will ever be lovers. The redhead also added the fact that her 'older sister' is the kaichou's girlfriend after Natsuki blurted out that she wanted Shizuru as hers. There were no qualms or protest for the said proposal and Shizuru did not even hesitate to answer a yes to the blunette. Though they know their fans have mixed feelings over it. Shizuru took the 'possible lovers' of Natsuki and Nao as a teasing material with limitations of course knowing the blunette is hers and hers alone.

Of course, Reito had fun along the way. Knowing that Shizuru and Natsuki are now in a relationship, with a slight of jealousy in his intentions, he began to be more expressive in his care to Shizuru. This was not taken lightly by the blunette and made sure that when Reito was being sweet with Shizuru, she made sure to be ten times sweeter to the brunette. Shizuru was liking the jealousy from her blunette and didn't mind it at all. She knew that Reito respected her decision and would not steal her away from Natsuki. Well not that he even can that is.

* * *

Now Natsuki was standing in front of a full body mirror, adjusting the bow tie of her black and white suit while Shizuru was watching her with an amused expression on her face. She grumbled as her attempts in making a perfect bow was in vain. "Shizuru!" she shouted, giving up on the menial task.

Dressed in a light purple kimono with small patterns of white cherry blossoms decorated around it and a black obi tied around her waist, Shizuru chuckled at how Natsuki looked frustrated over the small bow. Standing up from her cushioned seat on top of Natsuki's midnight colored bed, she approached the blunette and gently traced her hand over the exposed neck down to the black bow. She felt Natsuki shivered under her touch and took note of it for future pleasurable reference. "Silly Natsuki. I am unsure if this is the first time you are tying a bow or just want me to tie it for you." She told the blunette who has a streak of red over her cheeks.

Natsuki pouted and averted her gaze from Shizuru as the brunette was looking at her like a hungry snake. Over the course of the week, she realized that after confessing her adoration and wanting to be the brunette's girlfriend can have a slight, ooo.1 inch downfall. And that's the brunette's teasing. But her affection over the brunette was enough to ignore such minuscule downfall. "I haven't tied a bow before, okay? Besides, even if I did, I don't want you just lounging around my room while there is work to be done." She huffed. During the course of their relationship, even if it's been two days, she learned how manipulative Shizuru is and was amazed at how good she is if the brunette was forced to take action. But still, she tends to be lazy. "You're like a cat but scary like a snake. I'm not surprised when mom dubbed you as Jormungandr."

Shizuru chuckled. "I was surprised how Saeko-mama has title for the three of you really and Ren-mama." She said, smiling at the time when she first visited the Kuga-Yuuki household. Saeko pulled her from Natsuki and sternly informed her to keep the younger blunette in line since she is expecting her to be Natsuki's future wife. Added that as family tradition, everyone should have a norse equivalent title. Natsuki being Fenrir, Alyssa as Hel, Nao as Nafri and Ren as Sigyn. Ren didn't mind it as well and suggested to Saeko that Shizuru should be dubbed as the world snake. The person who will hold the family together knowing how Shizuru is the most calm of all.

"Funny really. Norse facts indicated that Hel is oldest then Jormungandr then youngest is Fenrir. Why am I youngest then? I'm older than Alyssa." Natsuki stated in a-matter-of-factly manner.

"Would you rather be called the 'queen of the undead' instead of the famed king of wolves, Fenrir?"

"Oh Hel no. I'll be Fenrir even if that wolf is the youngest."

Shizuru chuckled. "Fufufu. There, done." She said, patting the bow tie gently and looking up to Natsuki's pouted face. She smiled and kissed the tip of the blunette's nose and winked at her. "Turn that cute frown of yours upside down. Saeko-mama will tie you on her stretcher if we both are late."

The kiss made Natsuki grin goofily and nodded her head. "Feh. I bet you would love that." She retorted, knowing how Shizuru has been eyeing on her since she put on her suit like a predator. "Thanks for the help too."

"Hey mutt! Let's go! Mom's getting antsy already! And Mother is giving the patio door the death glare and I think she's thinking of burning it down if we don't get our asses out there." Nao chirped in, bustling inside the room. She was wearing a white form fitting dress and grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Looking hot mutt, I might consider taking you-" cold shivers ran down her spine and a pair of crimson eyes was now glaring at her. "Kidding! Sheesh! Natsuki's going to be my sister and as personal rule, I don't do my family."

A façade smile decorated Shizuru's face. "Glad we are clear on that. Though I am still confused to why hide the whole wedding from everyone."

Nao and Natsuki looked at each other and then to Shizuru. Emerald and lime colored eyes both have a glint of mischief.

"Coz we hate our moms' pathetic suitors." Both said in unison with smiles on their faces.

Shizuru laughed and shakes her head at the antics of the two green eyed women before her. Nobody would really guess that they are not blood related by their mischievous grins. "Alright. Shall we go and grace Saeko-mama and Ren-mama our presence?"

The blunette nodded her head and bowed before Shizuru. Nao snickered by the sidelines but Natsuki ignored her. With a hand offered to Shizuru, Natsuki looked up to her partner and smiled dashingly. When her hand was taken by the brunette, she leaned forward and gave Shizuru a peck on her lips. Satisfied, she leaned back and tilted her head towards the direction of the door."Shall we go?" she asks.

Façade smiles forgotten and a genuine one graced her lips; Shizuru nodded her head and let herself be lead out of the room and to the garden behind the Kuga-Yuuki household.

"Both of you are so sweet that it makes the hair on my nape stand!" Nao teased, laughing at her step-sister and soon-to-be, in her opinion, sister as well.

* * *

A month later, Natsuki was offered for her books to be published. With the urge from Shizuru and her friends, the book was published and when avid book readers got their copies of the said books, a lot of fanfictions sprout all over the net. This is due to the ending of the book that earned it to become one of the bestselling books around. Shizuru learned that Natsuki drew the comics that Fairytales showed during their band performance and the blunette confessed to her that the character appearances were based on her and Shizuru. Shizuru found it affectionate and handsomely rewarded Natsuki with a mayo-slathered lunch and a very private, behind the door treat.

* * *

"I never did know what happen after Viola was hit by Rei's bullets." Shizuru asked out of the blue. She and Natsuki were having a picnic by a private beach that her family owned and the thought suddenly came to her mind. Shaded under a big beach umbrella, she looked down on her girlfriend who was lazily lying down on her lap with an open book covering her face. "Nat-su-ki. Will you tell me?"

Natsuki grumbled and pulled the book down and placed it on top of her chest. "What do you think happen." she stated rather than asked with a raised brow. Shizuru pouted at her but she didn't budge and remain firm in her statement.

Giving up, Shizuru looked at the book that Natsuki placed on her chest. The book, black in whole but red front covering with a drawing of a bloodied woman with short haired ponytail smiling at another woman with concern look on her eyes. The book's binder and front cover both have the title written in gold cursive writings. _'Read Me'._

"Hm, I think Viola survived the gunshot and was able to be united with Kruger." Shizuru assumes. She wanted the ending of the story to be a happy one. Where Kruger and Viola ended up together, unlike Viola's ancestors.

The blunette smiled and took the book from her chest. Turning the pages up to the last page, she read out loud the last page of the story.

**[Kruger cried to the heavens. After Rei's attempt to shoot Kruger to which Viola stood before the king of beast to shield her from the bullet, the hunter dropped the gun in fear and fled the scene. Down on the ground, Viola smiled at the king of beasts that is now cradling her bloodied body. Blood flowed down from Kruger's eyes as she looked at the fallen huntress. **

**"Why?" Kruger asked, unsure to why the huntress saved her. "Didn't you come to me to avenge Kiyohime? To avenge her bloodline that has been slain because of me?"**

**But Viola chuckled and reached up her hand to cup Kruger's cheek. "Who knows? Somehow I can understand. Why Kiyohime died. Why all of them died in front of you."**

**It was happening again. Another blood of the red-eyed woman that Kruger was destined to will be dying in her arms. All because of the Obsidian prince. She gritted her teeth, eyes still crying of blood, and cursed loudly. "Why?! What have I done to deserve this?" she cried out loud. She held the hand on her cheek and pressed it close to her. "Please, I'm begging you. I'll give up everything just to let her live. My wealth, my fame, my immortality!" she cried louder. "Please! Let me be with the woman who holds my heart!"**

**By the corner of the room, a mirror shined. Within the mirror, three blurred figures appear and a ray of light shined within the room. The light engulfed Viola and Kruger, the whole manor until it went back to black.**

**No sound. No movement. Nothing else.**

**The mirror now showed a white mask with ruby colored eyes. The mask, smiling, floated around the mirror and a golden flower, petals slowly falling stopped its shedding. "By destiny you are intertwined. By choice you are separated. By time your fate and decision is in the line." Silence. "Master of the manor, King of beasts, your suffering has been heard and your plea granted. We'll see how your future will hold."]**

Natsuki stopped reading and smiledat Shizuru.

"That is why I'm asking what happened." Shizuru asked again after Natsuki read the last page. But Natsuki still remained smiling and reached up to pull the brunette down to her. Both of them are now locked in a searing passionate kiss that lasted for time they do not know. When their need of oxygen surfaced, both ended the kiss with heavy pants and the blunette smiling coyly.

"As I said before. 'what do you think happen.' It means it's your choice on what happen to Viola and Kruger. Be they ended together or not. It's up to the readers to know." Natsuki told Shizuru and closed the book.

* * *

The back of the book has an inscription with golden writings on it. The book Natsuki held is the original copy she had asked to be printed for a certain group to read. Since you have this book, why not read the inscription?

**["What do you think is the ending of this story? There are many possibilities but it all leads to what ending you want. So enlighten me. What is the ending of the story?"] – Zertet K.**

**-Fin-**


End file.
